UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


THE  SLOSS  COLLECTION  OF  THE  SEMITIC   LIBRARY 
OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


GIFT  OF     • 

LOUIS  SLOSS. 

February.  1897. 


Accession  No 


t   dft/Z-/  .     ChnsNo.    S^ 


*,; 


r 


i 


THE    JEW 


TRANSLATED      FROM     THE     POLISH      OF 
JOSEPH     IGNATIUS     KRASZEWSKI 


BY 


LINDA    DA    KOWALEWSKA 


NEW  YORK 
DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1S90 
By  DODD,   MEAD  &  COMPANY. 


All  rights  reserved 


6862./ 


press  or 


ftockfocll  ar.tJ  CfjurdjtU 


l?TD 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  •  PAGE 

I.  —  Sestri-Ponente I 

II.  —  Judaism  and  Poland 28 

III.  —  Education  of  Jacob 39 

IV.  —  Aqua  Sola  .   • 61 

V.  —  A  Simple  History  of  Love     ...     81 

VI.  —  From  Genoa  to  Pisa 103 

VII.  —  Voyage  on  Foot 119 

VIII.  —  The  Sabbath 157 

IX.  —  The  Eve  of  an  Insurrection      .     .182 
X.  —  The  Pursuit  of  a  Husband    .     .     .207 

XL  —  A  Political  Meeting 224 

XII.  —  A  Siren 231 

XIII.  —  Akiba 252 

XIV.  — .Alea  Jacta  Est 268 

XV.  —  A  Perilous  Interview    .     .     .     .     .281 

XVI. — The  Jews  in  Council 285 

XVII.  —  Reunion  of  the  Nobles     .     .     .     .  293 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 


XVIII.  —  The  Country  Wills  It    .     .     .     .311 

XIX.  —  A  Father's  Grief  .     .     .     .     .     .319 

XX. — Muse  Cultivates  the  Russians.     .  323 

XXL  — Lia 338 

XXII.  —  The  Old  Mother  .     .     .     .   '.     .347 

XXIII.  —  Russian  Politics 363 

XXIV.  —  The  Seducer 376 

XXV.  —  Between  Two  Fires 382 

XXVI.  —  The  Reconciliation 389 

XXVII.  —  Jacob  in  Flight 394 

XXVIII.  —  Love  of  Country 413 

XXIX.  —  The  Gordian  Knot 431 

XXX.  —  The  Insurgents 438 

Epilogue 454 


%p-    OS  TH 

rTJUlTBE2ITT 


THE     JEW. 


CHAPTER     I. 


SESTRI-PONENTE. 


On  a  warm  afternoon  in  the  autumn  of  1 860  the  best, 
or  rather  the  only,  inn  of  Sestri-Ponente  was  full  of  peo- 
ple. Firpo,  the  host  of  the  Albergo  e  Trattoria  della 
Grotta,  was  little  accustomed  to  such  a  crowd,  except 
on  Sundays  and  fete-days.  As  this  was  only  a  simple 
Thursday,  his  sunburnt  cheeks  reflected  a  smile  of 
satisfaction. 

Sestri-Ponente  is  situated  an  hour's  distance  from 
Genoa,  on  the  sea-shore  "  in  vincinanza  del  mare " 
and  on  the  grand  route  from  Savona  to  Nice.  Sestri, 
beside  dock-yards  for  the  construction  of  small  mer- 
chant-vessels, which  is  its  chief  source  of  wealth,  pos- 
sesses also  a  fine  beach  where  it  is  possible  to  bathe 
in  safety.  It  has  this  one  superiority  over  Genoa  "  la 
superb  a"  which  lacks  sea-bathing.  Genoa  has  all 
else ;  even  her  trees  seem  dwarfed  near  her  stately 
edifices ;  she  has  a  magnificent  harbour,  and  if  one  is 
determined  to  bathe  in  the  sea  he  can  hire  a  boat  to 
take  him  some  distance  from  the  quay,  where  the 
water  is  not  full  of  all  sorts  of  debris.     Once  in  clear 


2  THE    JEW. 

water  a  rope  is  tied  around  his  waist,  and  he  can  seat 
himself  on  the  steps  fixed  to  the  back  of  the  boat.  If 
he  slip,  the  honest  boatman  draws  him  out  of  the  sea, 
by  the  rope,  at  the  end  of  which  he  looks  like  a  new 
species  of  fish  suspended  on  a  hook.  Those  who  dis- 
like this  method  are  at  liberty  to  bathe  in  the  salt- 
water of  the  port  or  in  the  marble  bath-houses  of  the 
Piazza  Sarzana ;  but  to  bathe  where  the  beach  is  more 
or  less  rocky  one  must  abandon  Genoa  for  the  fash- 
ionable Livourne,  the  charming  Spezia,  or  the  modest 
Sestri.  The  wealthier  classes  congregate  at  the  former 
resorts.  Sestri  is  patronized  more  by  quiet  people 
who  wish  to  economize,  who  prefer  a  peaceful  life  to 
the  distractions  of  the  gay  world,  and  the  fresh  sea- 
breeze  to  the  feverish  gayety  and  gossip  of  a  crowded 
watering-place.  The  scenery  is  somewhat  sombre,  but 
not  altogether  deprived  of  the  picturesque ;  in  grave 
and  classic  lines,  like  that  of  Poussin,  are  delineated 
vineyards,  groves,  gardens,  and  luxurious  villas,  to-*day 
used  chiefly  as  country-seats  for  the  Italians.  Here 
and  there  the  spires  of  little  churches  and  of  convents 
rise  to  heaven  and  complete  the  panorama.  The  steep 
banks  extend  on  one  side  as  far  as  Genoa,  on  the 
other  to  Savona,  and  are  then  lost  in  the  immensity  of 
the  sea,  a  mighty  space  of  blue  and  green. 

From  a  distance  the  Albergo  della'Grotta  makes  a 
good  appearance.  This  pretty  little  palace  was  for- 
merly the  villa  of  a  rich  noble,  and  was  never  intended 
to  be  an  inn.  Its  approaches  are  lined  with  laurels, 
pomegranates,  and  orange-trees,  and  it  is  reached  by 


SESTRI-PONENTE.  3 

a  steep  path  with  steps  cut  in  the  solid  rock.  Every- 
where traces  appear  of  the  fastidious  taste  of  some 
former  owner,  and  in  the  midst  of  all  this  beauty,  with- 
out regard  for  the  neighbouring  nobility,  is  a  prosaic 
inn.  This  shows  that  the  conditions  of  life  are  changing 
everywhere.  It  is  not  only  in  Italy  that  one  meets 
edifices  which  do  not  respond  to  the  exactions  and 
the  needs  of  actual  society.  How  many  palaces  are 
changed  into  breweries,  how  many  villas  transformed 
into  inns,  how  many  beautiful  private  gardens  have  be- 
come plantations  !  The  opulent  parvenus ',  only,  have 
preserved  some  remains  of  the  noble  dwellings  of  the 
extinct  or  ruined  nobility.  The  great  lords  have  built 
for  the  bankers.  The  shell  still  remains,  but  the  mol- 
lusk  has  departed. 

The  principal  ornament  of  our  villa  was  that  which 
its  name  indicates,  a  grotto  constructed  with  great 
skill,  recalling  the  time  when  the  Roman  Caesars  es- 
tablished oyster-parks  on  their  roofs  and  forced  nature 
into  every  extravagance.  This  grotto  formed  a  vast 
salon  occupying  an  entire  wing  of  the  house,  and, 
thanks  to  the  bizai're  ornamentation  of  stalactites,  had 
every  appearance  of  a  natural  cavern.  The  walls 
were  of  gypsum  of  all  colours.  A  labyrinth  lighted 
from  above  led  to  a  fish-pond  and  a  fountain,  from 
which  the  water  flowed  slowly,  its  musical  plashing 
being  a  genuine  refreshment  on  a  hot  summer's  day. 

On  entering  this  subterranean  place  for  the  first 
time  one  experienced  a  sense  of  melancholy,  but 
gradually  the  eye  became  accustomed  to  the  twilight 


4  THE    JEW. 

and  the  illusion  disappeared,  and  was  followed  by  a 
delicious  feeling  of  refreshment  and  enthusiasm. 

To-day  this  grotto  serves  for  the  dining-room  of  the 
inn.  Tables  are  set  in  the  middle  and  in  the  dark 
corners,  and  on  the  rocks  surrounding  the  fish-pond 
is  placed  a  table  where  at  times  the  workmen  em- 
ployed in  the  neighbouring  forges  eat,  drink,  and  sleep. 
When  they  cede  this  place,  it  is  only  to  tourists  or  to 
English  families. 

Here  all  classes  fraternize  over  their  wine  and 
macaroni.  The  host  serves  with  the  same  zeal  the 
lords  or  the  drivers.  Who  knows  that  he  does  not 
prefer  the  latter,  for  the  lords  seldom  return,  while 
the  post-drivers,  like  an  intermittent  fever,  come  back 
every  other  day.  The  cuisine  of  this  inn  was  no 
better  nor  worse  than  any  other  Italian  cookery  The 
wine  was  agreeable  enough  to  a  palate  that  was  not 
too  blase,  and  a  grateful  Freshness  made  the  grotto 
a  delightful  retreat  during  the  day,  for  no  brawling 
crowd  or  discordant  music  ever  disturbed  the  place. 
Over  the  skylight  the  pomegranate  and  orange  trees 
intermingle  their  branches,  and  when  all  was  still 
could  be  heard  the  murmuring  of  the  sea,  a  fine  view 
of  which  might  be  had  from  the  flat  roof  of  the  grotto. 

Sestri  is  a  village  which  is  animated  only  at  times 
by  travellers,  and  to  which  the  railway  gives  but  a 
fugitive  vitality.  Few  people  stop  here,  for  before 
them  near  at  hand  appears  the  vision  of  Genoa,  and 
each  one  hastens  to  reach  "  la  Superba."  Only  the 
visitors  of  the  Villa  Palaviccini,  which  is  near,  meet  at 


SESTRI-PONENTE.  5 

Sestri  with  the  occasional  tourists  who  do  not  dislike 
the  brodi  of  Signor  Firpo. 

The  inn,  as  we  have  said,  was,  for  a  sultry  afternoon, 
unusually  full  of  people.  Two  diligences  painted  blue, 
as  well  as  other  vehicles,  had  arrived  from  Genoa  and 
Nice.  The  host  naturally  conducted  his  guests  to  the 
grotto,  which  he  loved  to  show  off  as  a  wonder.  The 
tables  were  soon  taken  by  the  travellers,  who,  once 
comfortably  seated,  began  to  examine  each  other  with 
a  certain  distrust. 

Near  one  of  the  tables  was  seated  a  young  man  of 
medium  size.  At  the  first  glance  one  would  judge 
from  his  expressive  face  and  regular  features  that  he 
was  an  Italian  j  but  examining  him  more  closely  cer- 
tain characteristics  of  the  Oriental  type  would  be  dis- 
covered. Sorrow  or  labour  had  prematurely  furrowed 
his  high  forehead,  and  the  energy  of  his  glance  de- 
noted a  strong  character.  He  appeared  like  one  who 
had  conquered  himself  after  long  internal  combats. 

His  was  a  sympathetic  face  and  drew  men  to  him. 
His  costume,  not  extremely  elegant,  yet  comfortable 
and  in  good  taste,  attested,  if  not  a  great  fortune,  at 
least  a  fair  competency.  Before  him  were  spread  the 
remains  of  a  frugal  repast  of  fruit,  wine,  and  cheese. 

A  short  distance  from  him  was  a  group  of  three 
persons,  one  of  whom  was  a  woman.  She  was  a  clear 
brunette  with  red  lips,  and  had  passed  her  first  youth, 
but  was  still  very  attractive,  almost  beautiful,  and  the 
natural  gayety  of  her  manner  was  augmented  by  a 
charming  air  of  good-will  toward  all.     She  appeared 


6  THE    JEW. 

to  be  the  idol  of  the  two  men  seated  near  her.  One  of 
fine  physique,  dark  complexion,  and  quiet  manners 
was  evidently  her  husband,  or  else  a  very  intimate 
friend.  The  other  cavalier  was  blonde,  slender,  and 
timid  as  a  young  girl,  blushing  on  every  occasion. 
The  trio  ate  slowly,  and  seemed  to  try  to  shake  off 
the  melancholy  impression  produced  by  the  singular 
dining-room. 

On  the  other  side  a  man  sat  smoking,  with  a  bottle 
of  wine  before  him.  Under  his  long  black  disordered 
hair  he  knitted  his  brows.  Although  still  young  he 
bore  the  traces  of  a  dissipated  life.  His  bronzed 
complexion,  his  thick  lips,  his  low,  square  forehead 
which  made  him  resemble  the  sphinx,  indicated  that 
he  was  the  descendant  of  a  non- European  race.  He 
looked  like  a  carving  in  basalt,  but  in  basalt  worn  by 
the  storms  of  passion,  to-day  extinct  but  formerly 
tumultuous.  One  was  reminded  on  regarding  him  of 
those  lakes  which,  agitated  in  the  morning,  are  calm 
under  the  soft  breeze  of  evening. 

Farther  off  lounged  two  Italians,  easily  recognized 
by  the  carelessness  of  their  attitude  in  spite  of  the 
presence  of  a  lady.  Their  nationality  was  furthermore 
betrayed  by  their  olive  complexions  and  long  black 
hair  falling  over  their  shoulders.  The  younger  wore  a 
mustache  a  la  Victor  Emmanuel,  which  gave  him  a 
military  air.  The  second  and  stouter  man  was  an 
artist.  They  both  had  that  air  of  content  worn  by 
men  who  are  at  home  and  breathe  their  native  air. 

Separated  from  them  by  an  empty  table   a  pale, 


SESTRI-PONENTE.  J 

blonde  young  man  seemed  to  seek  solitude.  This 
was  a  son  of  Germany.  Despite  his  phlegmatic 
manner  and  apparent  indifference  one  could  divine 
nevertheless  that  he  had  experienced  some  misfortune. 

Clad  poorly  and  with  a  certain  negligence,  forgetting 
his  bread  and  cheese  he  looked  dreamily  at  the  grotto 
and  his  neighbours,  absorbed  entirely  in  awaiting  the 
morrow,  yet  as  though  he  dreaded  it. 

All  the  company  was  silent  and  a  little  sleepy. 
From  time  to  time  could  be  heard  voices  at  the  table 
where  the  only  woman  of  the  party  was  seated ;  at 
times  the  clinking  of  glasses  and  of  bottles ;  then  the 
silence  became  more  profound. 

Suddenly  a  stranger  entered  by  a  little  back-door. 
All  eyes  were  turned  toward  him.  There  was  some- 
thing in  the  sudden  appearance  of  this  man  that  was 
startling.  He  was  very  pale  and  thin.  His  garments, 
gray  with  dust,  proved  that  he  had  travelled  long  on 
foot.  Fatigue  had  marked  his  visage,  and  imprinted 
on  his  features  that  melancholy  beauty  which  interests 
at  first  sight  all  men  truly  worthy  of  that  name.  His 
eyes  were  sunken,  but  their  expression  was  soft  as  the 
glance  of  a  woman,  and  attested  almost  superhuman, 
sufferings.  His  haversack,  his  staff,  and  his  miserable 
appearance  showed  that  he  travelled  on  foot  rather 
from  necessity  than  from  preference. 

He  sought  timidly  with  his  eyes  an  obscure  corner ; 
then,  seeing  that  almost  all  the  tables  were  occupied,  he 
moved  slowly  to  a  seat  near  the  German  ;  but  scarcely 
had  he  taken  off  his  straw  hat  and  wiped  the  sweat 


8  THE    JEW. 

from  his  brow,  than  his  figure  contracted  under  fright- 
ful suffering.  He  seized  the  table  convulsively  to 
steady  himself,  but  his  strength  gave  way  and  he  fell 
unconscious  to  the  ground.  In  the  fall  he  overturned 
his  chair,  and  it  was  a  miracle  that  he  did  not  cut  his 
head  on  the  stalactites  of  the  grotto.  He  remained 
stretched  at  full  length,  pale  as  a  corpse,  and  retaining 
on  his  features  that  expression  of  calm  which  death 
gives.  All  the  travellers,  led  by  the  lady,  — '■  we  must  do 
them  that  justice,  —  rushed  to  his  assistance.  It  was 
the  lady  who  showed  most  presence  of  mind,  and  she 
proved  a  veritable  sister  of  charity.  In  every  woman 
there  is  a  mother  and  a  sister.  She  seized  a  carafe, 
and  wetting  a  napkin  applied  it  to  the  temples  of  the 
unknown,  who  sighing  deeply  opened  his  eyes,  and 
soon  came  to  himself.  At  first  he  seemed  ashamed  of 
his  accident.  He  leaned  on  his  elbow,  his  eyes  tim- 
idly lowered,  and  stammered  some  unintelligible  words 
of  thanks. 

Short  as  was  the  time  of  this  little  scene  the  land- 
lord had  already  heard  of  it.  He  hastened,  speech- 
less from  fear  of  the  formalities  which  would  follow  a 
sudden  death  in  his  inn,  and  he  had  already  decided 
to  beg  the  invalid  to  go  and  die  elsewhere,  when  he 
was  reassured  by  seeing  the  stranger  again  conscious. 

This  first  thought  of  Signor  Firpo  was  characteristic 
of  our  age,  which,  in  place  of  giving  the  hand  to  the 
unfortunate,  repulses  him,  and  does  not  recognize  in 
the  poor  the  right  to  be  ill.  The  first  sentiment  ex- 
perienced to-day  when  men  meet  is  that  of  suspicion 


SES  TRI-PONENTE. 


or  distrust.  Indifference  has  replaced  the  ideal.  So- 
ciety has  turned  its  back  on  the  unfortunate,  and  its 
motto  is  egotism. 

The  innkeeper  felt  a  little  ashamed  when  he  saw 
the  solicitude  of  all  his  patrons  for  the  unfortunate 
man.  Nevertheless,  he  had  no  idea  of  harbouring  dur- 
ing the  night  a  traveller  who  fainted  so  easily  and  who 
had  no  baggage.  Genoa  is  not  far  off.  There  are 
hospitals  there,  thought  he.  I  must  see  that  he  leaves 
as  soon  as  possible. 

What  would  have  been  the  exasperation  of  the 
honest  Firpo  if  he  had  known  that  hunger  was  the 
cause  of  the  fainting? 

For  the  present  he  did  not  announce  his  charitable 
intention  on  account  of  his  guests  who  gathered  around 
the  new-comer.  A  common  feeling  of  compassion  and 
charity  drew  these  strangers  to  each  other.  They 
fraternized  like  old  friends,  conversing  now  in  French, 
now  in  Italian,  in  order  to  understand  each  other. 

The  woman  sought  with  her  delicate  hands  the 
wound  on  the  young  man's  head,  whence  flowed  the 
blood  which  stained  his  temples.  The  men  talked  in 
low  voices  about  the  accident,  and  with  a  forced  smile 
the  stranger  muttered  feebly  :  — 

"  It  is  nothing !  Pardon  and  thanks !  But  the 
heat  —  fatigue  —  "  "Or  rather  hunger,"  added  the 
spectators,  looking  at  the  poor  fellow  whose  sunken 
cheeks  showed  that  they  were  right. 

Gradually  calm  was  again  established.  Some  one 
advised   the  invalid  to   take  a   little   wine,  and   the 


IO  THE    JEW. 

woman  brought  him  her  own  glass  after  having  filled  it. 
He  raised  it  to  his  lips,  thanking  her  timidly. 

"Will  you  come  and  sit  with  us,  monsieur?"  said 
she  drawing  near  him  ;  "  after  a  little  rest  this  weak- 
ness will  pass  away."     Then  she  added  :  — 

"  These  accidents  are  sometimes  succeeded  by 
another,  and  it  will  be  prudent  to  be  near  us.  We 
can  watch  over  you.  And  if  the  question  is  not 
indiscreet,  will  you  tell  us  whence  you  came  and  where 
you  are  going?  " 

"  I  go  to  Genoa,  madame,"  replied  the  unknown. 

"And  you  come  from  a  distance?" 

"  Quite  a  distance,  from  France.  I  have  travelled 
on  foot,  and  am  very  weary." 

There  was  a  short  silence.  But  the  woman  was 
curious  and  continued  the  role  of  interrogator. 

"Then  you  are  not  a  Frenchman?" 

"  No,  madame." 

"  I  knew  it  by  your  accent." 

The  other  travellers  approached  the  table  where  the 
stranger  was  seated,  and  the  conversation  became 
general.  They  talked  of  their  travels,  and  during  this 
time  the  invalid  became  stronger.  His  extreme  pale- 
ness diminished  as  the  blood  circulated  more  rapidly 
in  his  veins.  The  woman  fixed  on  him  a  maternal 
gaze. 

"  You  are  truly  unpardonable,"  continued  she. 
"  Being  subject  to  fainting,  you  ought  not  to  have 
undertaken  such  a  long  journey  alone  and  in  such 
heat,     Although  Italy  is  safe  in  the  vicinity  of  Naples^ 


SESTRI-PONENTE.  i  x 

and  has  lost  her  legendary  brigands,  who  no  longer 
exist  except  in  romances,  you  might  have  been  assas- 
sinated or  at  least  robbed  in  some  lonely  place  on  the 
route  that  you  have  taken." 

The  young  man  smiled  sadly,  hung  his  head,  and 
replied  in  a  low  voice,  "  It  would  have  been  impos- 
sible, madame,  to  have  followed  your  excellent  advice. 
I  had  not  the  means  to  do  so." 

"  Poor  boy,"  murmured  his  fair  questioner,  "  this 
is  frightful !  " 

"  I  am  an  exile,"  continued  he  raising  his  head. 
"  I  am  a  Pole.  I  left  my  country  on  account  of 
some  college  pranks  for  which  I  would  have  been 
sent  to  Siberia,  with  my  future  ruined.  I  hoped  to 
find  a  warm  welcome  from  compassionate  nations. 
I  sought  it  in  Germany,  in  England,  and  in  France. 
Everywhere  beautiful  words  concealed  a  cold  indiffer- 
ence. At  last  I  thought  of  Italy.  It  has  a  people 
whose  destiny  not  long  ago  somewhat  resembled  ours. 
Outlaws,  they  also  sought  from  the  world  a  little  aid 
and  sympathy.  Alas  !  "  He  interrupted  this  in- 
voluntary confession,  which  had  produced  different 
impressions  on  his  hearers. 

He  had  at  first  somewhat  chilled  the  company, 
who,  however,  soon  submitted  to  a  more  generous 
sentiment,  and  felt  themselves  captivated  by  his  frank- 
ness. 

"We  are,  then,  in  a  measure  compatriots,"  said  in 
Polish  the  blonde  young  man  seated  near  the  beauti- 
ful lady.     "  I  am  a  little  Polish,  but  Galician."     The 


12  THE    JEW, 

"  but "  sounded  coldly  on  the  ears  of  the  outlaw, 
who  nevertheless  saluted  him,  and  took  in  silence  his 
outstretched  hand. 

The  dark  man  with  majestic  features  arose  in  his 
turn. 

"  I,  also,"  declared  he  in  a  slightly  ironical  tone, 
"  have  the  honour  to  present  myself  as  in  a  measure 
your  compatriot.     I  am  Polish,  but  a  Jew." 

The  Galician  turned  quickly  toward  the  last  speaker, 
who  was  warmly  shaking  the  hand  of  the  exile. 

"  In  this  general  recognition,"  added  the  lady's 
second  cavalier,  "permit  me  also  to  consider  myself 
as  somewhat  your  countryman.  We  are  brother 
Slavs,  for  I  am  a  Russian,  but  outlawed.  Give  me, 
then,  your  hand." 

"  Outlaw  or  vagabond,  it  is  all  the  same,"  said  the 
man  with  the  bronzed  skin.  "  Permit  me,  then,  as  a 
brother  in  exile  and  vagabondage,  as  a  pariah,  to 
fraternize  with  you.  I  am  a  Tsigane,  but  a  rich 
Tsigane,  and  that  is  a  rare  thing.  It  is  the  only 
reason  why  I  am  not  rubbing  down  horses,  and  why  I 
do  not  rob  hen-roosts.  Yes,  messieurs,  I  belong  to 
that  condemned  race  who  in  the  Middle  Ages  were 
driven  out  at  the  bayonet's  point,  and  who  are  to-day 
under  the  supervision  of  the  police.  The  only  ex- 
ception made  is  for  our  sisters  under  twenty  years 
who  have  white  teeth,  a  sweet  voice,  and  la  beaute  du 
diable.  To  reassure  you,  I  repeat,  messieurs,  that  I 
am  very  rich  ;  that,  surely,  is  a  corrective  for  the  worst 
reputation.     I  am  not,  however,  a  Tsigane  king.     I 


SES  TRI-PONENTE.  \  3 

am  only  an  idler  by  profession."  He  laughed  sar- 
donically, watching  the  effect  of  his  words,  then  con- 
tinued :  "  I  bear  on  my  face  the  indelible  witness  of 
my  origin.  No  magic  water  can  whiten  my  skin. 
No  cosmetic  can  conceal  my  race." 

"Listen,  messieurs,"  interposed  the  lady  with 
vivacity,  "  if  banishment  and  a  nomadic  life  are  the 
standard  of  your  good-will,  you  can  admit  me  to 
your  society.  My  father  was  Italian,  of  that  Italy 
which  was  not  yet  a  country,  but  a  '  simple  geographi- 
cal expression,'  to  quote  Metternich.  He  emigrated 
voluntarily  to  England.  My  mother  was  of  an  old 
Irish  family.  My  husband,  Russian ;  and  if  that  be 
not  enough,  my  grandmother  was  Greek." 

A  little  man  suddenly  advanced  from  the  midst  of 
the  circle  brandishing  an  enormous  parasol.  He  was 
dressed  with  great  care,  and  wore  a  pair  of  spectacles, 
with  shoulder-straps  crossed  on  his  breast  from  which 
hung  on  one  side  a  lorgnette  and  on  the  other  a  game- 
bag. 

"  Bravo  !  bravissimo  !  "  cried  he,  taking  a  part  in 
the  conversation.  "  Pardon  me  for  interrupting  you, 
madame,  but  I  desire  to  participate  in  this  general 
introduction,  and  I  flatter  myself  that  I  have  rights 
which  give  me  the  priority.  I  am  a  Dane  by  birth. 
My  mother  was  Scotch  or  English,  my  grandmother 
an  Italian.  I  have  long  lived  in  France,  and  I  believe 
that  I  am  even  naturalized.  I  hope,  then,  to  have  the 
right  to  dine  in  a  company  from  all  the  world.  What 
think  you,  my  friends  ?  " 


14  THE    JEW. 

There  was  a  general  laugh,  and  he  was  admitted 
with  frank  and  joyous  cordiality. 

"  I  solicit  the  same  honour,"  said  the  German  with 
a  heavy  air ;  "  I,  also,  am  an  exile."  With  these  words 
he  bowed  and  seated  himself. 

"The  question  of  country,"  said  the  Dane,  "  is  to- 
day a  simple  question  of  money.  With  a  full  purse 
one  is  everywhere  received,  everywhere  naturalized ; 
with  gold  one  has  everywhere  the  right  of  citizenship. 
No  money ;  no  country  !  No  money ;  move  on  ! 
The  only  real  outlaw,  the  true  pariah,  is  he  who  has 
nothing.  With  money  one  can  buy  as  many  countries 
as  he  desires.  That  is  why  I  do  not  feel  the  want 
of  one." 

With  these  words  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
was  silent,  and  one  of  the  Italians  arose. 

"  My  friend  and  I,"  said  he,  "  do  not  wish  to  be  ex- 
cluded from  this  charming  circle,  and  we  have  both  a 
title  to  be  received  among  you.  In  the  first  place,  we 
are  artists,  who  are  always  nomads  in  body  and  spirit. 
And  though  we  are  Italians,  one  is  a  Roman,  the  other 
Venetian.  And  we  can  tender  the  hand  to  the  Pole, 
for  we  are  brothers  in  poverty." 

"  No  !  no  !  "  cried  the  Pole.  "  You  are  not  like  us, 
despoiled  of  all.  You  know  whither  to  fly  from  per- 
secution. All  Italy  is  open  to  you.  -  You  have  a 
country,  a  king,  and  a  government.  We  have  only 
police,  spies,  executioners,  and  persecutors.  We  are 
always  menaced  with  Siberia  or  death.  Europe  does 
not  recognize  even  our  right  to  exist." 


SESTRI-PONENTE. 


15 


These  words,  vibrating  with  despair,  threw  into  the 
conversation  the  dramatic  note.  All  the  men  in  this 
motley  society — Italians,  Poles,  Jew,  Dane,  and 
Tsigane — gathered  around  the  little  tables,  and  even 
those  who  were  least  inclined  to  make  new  acquaint- 
ances could  not  resist  the  general  impulse.  The  ice 
had  been  broken  by  the  fainting  and  the  confession  of 
the  Pole. 

We  very  often  hesitate  to  make  new  acquaintances 
when  travelling.  The  motive  is  usually  a  selfish  one. 
Each  encounter  costs  us  some  words  of  politeness, 
some  courteous  concessions,  if  our  ideas  are  not  in 
accord  with  those  of  our  new  friend.  And  all  these 
concessions  are  a  total  loss,  because  before  long  we 
part  at  the  next  station.  It  is  an  expense  that  one 
can  easily  avoid.  It  is  much  pleasanter  to  be  silent 
and  to  stretch  one's"  legs  without  caring  for  a  neigh- 
bour who  will  be  gone  in  a  few  moments. 

For  once  the  guests  of  Sestri-Ponente  forgot  all 
considerations  of  personal  comfort.  The  woman  had 
communicated  to  all  the  sentiment  of  charity  which 
had  seized  her. 

Everything  is  contagious  in  this  world,  even  virtue. 
A  half- century  ago,  when  there  was  less  travelling,  men 
were  much  more  accessible  to  each  other.  To-day 
there  passes  before  our  eyes  such  a  procession  of 
specimens  of  human  kind,  from  the  prince  without  a 
crown  to  the  proletaire  without  a  shirt,  that  one  re- 
flects that  caution  is  necessary. 

Man  has  become  cosmopolitan,  and  he  avoids  sym- 


16  THE    JEW. 

pathetic  persons  for  fear  he  may  become  attached  to 
them. 

The  landlord,  concealed  behind  the  door,  felt  re- 
assured on  seeing  him  whom  he  thought  dying,  under 
the  protection  of  the  whole  company.  This  protec- 
tion relieved  him  from  obligations,  the  very  thought 
of  which  was  terrifying. 

As  a  good  action  reacts  on  those  who  are  the  cause 
of  it,  the  lady  was  radiant.  She  chatted  with  the 
Venetian  and  the  Roman,  interrogated  the  Pole, 
argued  with  the  Dane,  said  some  words  to  the  Tsigane, 
even  smiled  at  the  phlegmatic  German,  and  so 
charmed  the  whole  company  that  each  one  com- 
menced to  dread  the  hour  of  departure.  The  con- 
versation continued  gayly  as  it  had  begun. 

"  I  am  not  altogether  a  cosmopolite,"  said  the  lady ; 
"  man  needs  a  country,  and  he  who  has  none  has  one 
joy  the  less  in  his  heart,  one  love  the  less  in  his  life, 
and  in  his  thoughts  a  hope  and  a  consolation  the  less. 
Rather  than  want  a  country  one  ought  to  choose  and 
create  one  to  love,  for  it  is  necessary  for  a  young  man 
to  have  an  ideal  love  if  he  has  not  a  real  one.  How- 
ever, love  of  one's  country  does  not  imply  hatred  of 
others.  It  is  a  beautiful  thing  this  human  brother- 
hood/' 

"  Very  well  said,"  agreed  the  Dane,_who,  in  order 
to  put  in  his  word,  had  left  his  macaroni.  "  But  unfortu- 
nately, madame,  this  fraternity  belongs  only  to  fabu- 
lous and  Utopian  days,  like  the  English  republics  and 
the  patriarchal  monarchies.     It  is  a  dream,  like  the 


SES  TRI-PONENTE. 


»7 


imaginary  cottages  of  lovers  with  idyllic  roots  and 
herbs  for  food,  and  the  clear  water  of  the  rushing 
brook  for  drink ;  it  is  an  idle  dream,  like  any  other 
nonsense  that  men  have  invented  m  this  age  of  beef- 
steaks, of  business,  of  bank-notes,  and  comfort.  It  is 
thousands  of  years  since  men  coined  the  word  'frater- 
nity.' Eh  !  madame,  ask  the  Muscovite  to  love  the 
Pole,  and  the  English  to  love  the  French ;  demand, 
then,  of  the  German  to  renounce  his  disposition  to 
assimilate  all  the  neighbouring  provinces  and  to  de- 
mand their  ground  for  the  cultivation  of  his  potatoes ; 
ask  him  then  to  cease  singing  the  praises  of  his 
mother-country  wherever  he  may  be." 

"  Oh  !  oh  ! "  said  the  peaceable  German  shaking 
his  head.  "Behold  already  a  satire  on  the  most 
inoffensive  of  men.''  Then  he  resumed  between  his 
teeth,  "  Oh  !  Schiller  !  " 

"  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  reading  all  his  works," 
replied  the  Dane,  returning  to  his  macaroni,  "in  a 
translation.  He  has  written  many  beautiful  things. 
But  beautiful  verses  do  not  characterize  a  people,  my 
dear  German.  I  call  you  very  dear,  because  I  love 
exceedingly  men  in  general,  although  I  hate  a  few  in 
particular.  Well,  very  dear  son  of  blonde  Germany, 
I  tell  you,  without  remembrance  of  your  monopoly  of 
Schleswig  and  of  Holstein,  two  principalities  to  which 
I  do  not  belong,  —  I  tell  you  frankly,  Schiller,  Goethe, 
Kant,  Herder,  and  Lessing  are  not  Germans." 

"How  is  that?" 

"  Listen,  peaceable  son  of  industrious   Germany ; 


1 8  THE    JEW. 

do  not  fly  in  a  passion.  I  know  you,  that  is  why  I 
maintain  that  neither  Schiller  nor  the  others  belong 
to  you." 

"To  whom  do  they  belong,  then?  "  demanded  the 
German,  striking  his  knife  on  the  table. 

"They  are  geniuses  like  Shakespeare.  They  be- 
long to  the  whole  world,  and  not  to  His  Majesty  the 
King  of  Prussia.  They  are  not  as  well  known  in  the 
country  that  has  produced  them  as  in  other  lands." 

"  That  is  perfectly  true,"  added  the  young  Pole. 
"  I  feel  that  I  understand  Schiller  better  than  most 
Germans,  who  go  into  ecstasies  over  his  genius,  and 
raise  statues  on  all  the  street  corners,  and  throw  a  flat 
contradiction  over  the  poet's  ideal  by  shutting  them- 
selves up  in  a  narrow  and  egotistical  nationality." 

"  Enough,  young  enthusiast !"  interrupted  the  Dane. 
"  You  are  twenty-one  or  "  — 

"Twenty-two,"  said  the  Pole. 

"I  will  not  permit  you  to  discuss  the  subject  of 
egotism  yet.  Wait  a  few  years,  until  you  become  an 
egotist  yourself.  •  Nemo  sapiens  nisi  patiens. '  I  ad- 
mit, however,  that  you  have  comprehended  my  mean- 
ing very  well,  and  that  you  have  argued  fairly." 

A  general  laugh  seized  the  whole  company. 

"  With  your  permission,"  added  the  Dane,  taking 
up  his  lorgnette,  which  he  had  placed  on  the  table, 
"  this  threatens  to  become  a  rather  long  international 
conference.  It  is  necessary  that  I  should  reinforce 
the  inner  man  to  sustain  the  discussion.  Macaroni  is 
very  '  filling,'  but  does  not  nourish  overmuch.     I  shall 


SES  TRI-PONENTE. 


19 


send  for  something  more  substantial.  Decidedly, 
these  Italians  for  many  generations  of  stomachs  have 
cultivated  an  exaggerated  taste  for  macaroni." 

"  Do  not  trouble  yourself  about  us  !  "  replied  the 
lady  smiling. 

"  Monsieur  Pole,"  continued  the  loquacious  Dane, 
"  do  not  be  offended  if  I  invite  you  brusquely  to 
dine  with  me.  It  is  simple  egotism.  When  I  eat 
alone  I  am  not  hungry.  To  see  any  one  eat  gives  me 
an  appetite,  and  I  divine  in  you  a  Polish  stomach." 

The  young  man  blushed  deeply  and  murmured, 
"But  — but"  — 

"  No  buts,  It  is  a  service  which  you  can  render 
me.  Eat  like  a  wolf;  I  will  enjoy  looking  at  you  in 
coveting  your  appetite." 

With  these  words  he  sighed  with  regret  and  knocked 
on  the  table.  A  waiter  in  his  shirt-sleeves  came  run- 
ning in.  Each  one  ordered  his  dinner.  The  conver- 
sation nagged,  and  the  German,  gloomy  and  indignant, 
went  and  seated  himself  in  a  corner. 

"Monsieur  is  provoked,"  said  the  Dane  to  him; 
"  but  monsieur  is  wrong.  I  esteem  your  nation  very 
highly,  and  I  render  justice  to  all  its  general  qualities. 
The  Germans  abound  everywhere,  like  the  trichina; 
and  like  it,  the  hardier  they  are  the  more  surely  they 
provoke  the  death  of  those  who  have  received  them. 
It  is  a  credit  to  the  people,  though  it  be  an  offence  in 
the  trichina.  If  you  dislike  my  opinion  read  Heine, 
who  justifies  me  in  all  points." 

The  German  made  a  gesture  of  contempt. 


20  THE    JEW. 

"Heine,  a  Jew  !  "  said  he  in  a  low  voice. 

The  Dane  alone  heard  him,  and  leaning  towards  his 
companion  added,  in  an  undertone,  "  I  fear  you  will 
soon  be  obliged  to  seek  your  future  where  Heine  saw 
it."  Then  lower  still  he  pronounced  this  word,  a  title 
in  one  of  Heine's  works,  —  "  Hammonia  !  " 

After  a  short  colloquy  the  two  men  evidently  came 
to  an  amicable  understanding,  for  they  shook  hands. 

The  menu  for  the  principal  meal  at  the  Albergo 
della  Grotto  was  as  follows :  First  a  thick  brodo,  a 
soup  that  alone  with  Italians  supersedes  their  beloved 
macaroni.  Then  a,  dish  of  fried  fish  and  one  of  stewed 
meat ;  that,  to  say  the  least,  was  a  little  suspicious,  for 
it  had  come  from  Genoa  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and, 
was  certainly  somewhat  fatigued  by  the  journey.  After- 
ward a  roast,  then  cheese  and  fruit. 

The  Dane  grumbled,  and  said  that  the  cooking  was 
unworthy  of  the  least  of  scullions ;  but  the  travellers 
were  hungry,  and  they  excused  many  shortcomings. 

The  Pole  had  overcome  his  embarrassment  and  ate 
with  evident  enjoyment,  although  he  feared  that  his 
new  friends  would  divine  his  long  fast.  His  companion 
was  not  hungry,  for  he  had  eaten  at  Cogoletto.  The 
unfortunate  young  man  considered  this  meal  a  God- 
send, for  he  was  saving  his  last  sou  to  return  home. 
Having  lost  confidence  in  "human  fraternity,"  he 
relied  only  on  his  own  strength  and  economy. 

"Am  I  permitted  to  ask  where  you  are  going?'' 
said  the  lady,  looking  around  the  tables. 

"  As  for  me,"  said  the  one  whom  she  had  succoured, 


SES  TRI-PONENTE.  2 1 

"  I  go,  or  rather  return,  to  Poland.  It  is  two  years 
since  I  left  it,  and  I  return  impelled  by  suffering  and 
hope.  Aged  by  my  trials,  I  have  left  on  the  way  all 
my  illusions." 

"I  also  return  to  Poland,"  added  the  Jew.  "I 
consider  it  my  country.  Permit  me  to  call  it  thus,  for 
I  love  it,  and  that  gives  me  the  right." 

The  two  men  pressed  each  other's  hands  like  broth- 
ers, whilst  the  Galician  seemed  to  be  looking  for 
something  under  the  table,  and  feigned  not  to  hear 
them. 

"I,"  said  the  Tsigane,  "  believe  that  T  will  go  to 
Hungary.  I  say  believe,  for  it  is  not  yet  decided ;  it 
is  only  probable.  I  have  relations  established  there. 
They  have  left  the  tents  of  their  tribe  for  more  sub- 
stantial dwellings.  I  wish  to  see  them  once  more 
and  to  salute  them  in  our  ancient  language.  But  for 
me  every  place  is  the  same.  I  am  never  in  haste  ;  I 
have  money,  and  wander  where  I  will.  My  country  is 
any  spot  that  suits  me,  for  there  does  not  exist  for  us 
a  country  in  the  sense  in  which  you  use  it.  We  have 
forgotten  our  land  since  we  left  it,  and  if  we  should 
return,  she  would  not  recognize  her  children.  We 
should  be  like  Epimenides  when  he  returned  and 
found  that  no  one  knew  him." 

"Well,"  said  the  Dane  to  the  Pole  brusquely, 
"  you  have  made  a  wonderful  journey,  and  in  the 
most  agreeable  way.  Necessity  is  often  a  blessing  in 
disguise.  How  often  have  I  wished  to  be  obliged  to 
go  on  foot,  but,  unfortunately,  there  has  never  been 


-22"  THE    JEW. 

any  urgent  reason  for  doing  so,  and  I  have  always  lis- 
tened to  the  voice  of  sloth." 

"  You  wish  for  everything;"  said  the  Jew ;  "  but  at 
the  same  time  you  lack  the  will  to  obtain  the  object 
of  your  desires." 

"  That  is  true.  But  that  which  I  long  for  most  is 
youth  !  "  replied  the  Dane. 

"  The  route  is  truly  charming  enough  to  make  one 
forget  hunger  and  heat,"  said  the  Pole.  "  Walking 
along  the  shores  of  the  blue  sea,  it  seemed  to  me 
that  the 'world  was  finished  in  emeralds  and  opals 
and  sapphires.  It  was  like  Paradise,  —  an  ideal  land. 
What  a  poem  is  the  ocean  !  " 

«The  ocean  is  not  at  all  poetical,"  said  the  Dane ; 
"  it  only  seems  so  in  your  youthful  enthusiasm.  To 
me  the  sea  speaks  only  of  oysters  and  fish." 

The  lady  smiled  at  this  prosaic  remark,  and  softly 
quoted,  — 

"  O primavera  I  gioventu  Tie  Fanno  / 
O  gioventu  /  primavera  deiia  vita  /  " 

"  I  intend  to  visit  Italy,  and  I  am  going  to  Genoa," 
remarked  the  German  laconically. 

"  I,  also,"  added  the  Dane. 

"We  go  anywhere,"  replied  the  Roman  and  the 
Venetian. 

"As  for  me,"  declared  the  Muscovite,  "I  am 
obliged  to  wander,  because  I  cannot  return  to  *  ia 
sainte  Russie'  until"  — 


SES  TKI-PONENTE. 


23 


"Until  the  tempest  explodes  there,"  finished  the 
Dane.  "Was  not  that  what  you  intended  to  say?" 
added  he. 

The  Moscovite  made  an  affirmative  gesture. 

"As  for  me,  I  shall  prolong  my  voyage,"  mur- 
mured the  Galician.  "  I  wish  to  see  Italy  thor- 
oughly." 

"Then  we  are  all  bound  for  Genoa,"  resumed  the 
lady ;  "  this  Genoa  '  la  superb  a  J  that  we  can  already 
catch  a  glimpse  of  here,  and  which  I  am  anxious  to 
reach." 

"Madame,  do  not  complain  of  the  length  of  the 
route,"  observed  the  Jew.  "  The  true  happiness  of 
life  is  in  knowing  where  one  aims  to  be,  and  then 
going  slowly  toward  it.  Genoa  the  beautiful  is  more 
beautiful  at  a  distance  than  when  near.  The  journey 
from  here  is  ravishing." 

"  I  know  something  of  it,  for  I  have  come  on  foot 
from  Marseilles,"  said  the  Pole. 

One  of  the  Italians  launched  out  into  enthusiastic 
praise  of  Italy  "la  della." 

"  I  am  not  surprised  to  find  love  of  country  even 
among  the  Esquimaux,  but  I  cannot  comprehend  an 
Italian  that  does  not  love  Italy.  Where  else  can  be 
found  so  beautiful  a  country?  At  your  feet  eloquent 
ruins  of  past  ages,  overhead  a  sky  of  unequalled 
beauty,  and  everywhere  wonders,  with  a  climate  which 
restores  life  to  the  dying.  Italy  reigns  queen  of  the 
world ;  they  have  plucked  the  diadem  from  her 
brow,  but  she  still  continues  calm  and  majestic.     Bar- 


24  THE    JEW. 

barians  have  chained  her  beautiful  hands,  but  she  will 
soon  rise  again  and  shake  off  her  fetters.  Tell  me, 
do  you  know  a  more  beautiful  land?  " 

"  I  know  one,"  replied  the  Pole  mournfully.  "  A 
gray  sky  envelops  it;  its  soil  is  stained  with  blood. 
The  cemeteries  alone  speak  of  the  past,  and  through 
these  burial-grounds  pass  often  despairing  groups  of 
chained  men.  It  has  no  sapphire  sea,  —  nothing  but 
the  cold,  icy  wind.  But  it  is  the  altar  of  innumerable 
sacrifices,  —  it  is  my  country." 

The  Italians  nodded  their  heads,  and  the  Tsigane 
smiled  ironically. 

"What  matters  it  to  a  man,"  cried  he,  "whether  he 
be  here  or  there  !  Life  is  short,  and  death  will  soon 
oblige  him  to  return  to  the  darkness  whence  he  came. 
Let  us  not  become  attached  to  anything  or  anybody. 
It  is  not  worth  the  trouble." 

"What  an  error  !  "  interrupted  the  lady;  "it  is  by 
the  heart  that  one  lives.  All  else  is  the  bitter  peel  of 
the  fruit." 

"  In  that  case  one  must  become  accustomed  to  the 
peel,"  said  the  Tsigane  shrugging  his  shoulders. 

A  servant  came  to  announce  to  the  lady's  cavaliers 
that  their  carriage  was  ready,  and  he  believed  it  his 
duty  to  add  that  the  diligence  was  also  waiting  at 
the  door  to  take  the  other  travellers  to  Genoa.  This 
interruption  had  the  effect  of  a  cold  douche  on  the 
company,  and  a  cloud  passed  over  their  counte- 
nances. 

"Thus,"  said  the  lady  sighing,  "we  must  separate. 


SES  TRI-PONENTE. 


25 


Destiny  pushes  us  on  again  like  the  galley  slaves  who 
wish  to  stop  on  the  way,  and  are  relentlessly  forced 
onward  by  their  keepers.  God  alone  knows  if  we 
shall  ever  meet  again  !  " 

"No,  we  cannot  tell,"  rejoined  the  Dane,  adjusting 
his  lorgnette ;  "  but  we  shall  certainly  meet  again  the 
types  which  we  resemble.  As  for  myself,  I  am  con- 
vinced that  I  have  seen  you  all  already  somewhere, 
and  that  I  shall  meet  you  again,  but  perhaps  under  a 
form  less  attractive." 

This  odd  idea  did  not  please  the  lady,  who  was  no 
doubt  offended  at  the  thought  of  being  considered  an 
ordinary  woman. 

"As  for  me,  monsieur,"  said  she  haughtily,  "this  is 
the  first  time  in  my  life  that  ever  I  saw  you,  and  I  tell 
you  that " — 

"That  you  do  not  desire  to  see  me  again?" 

"That  is  not  exactly  what  I  was  going  to  say.  How- 
ever, your  belief  in  types  and  not  in  individuals  shocks 
me,  I  acknowledge.  For  what  man  has  then  a  per- 
fect ideal?" 

"  Men  are  but  men,  be  certain  of  that,  madame.  I 
affirm  more  :  to  believe  in  a  variety  of  men  is  danger- 
ous ;  there  are  only  certain  types  many  times  repeated. 
We  often  think  to  find  a  new  man,  an  unknown ;  but 
we  soon  recognize  an  old  acquaintance  who,  between 
you  and  me,  does  not  amount  to  much." 

"  In  the  abstract  you  are  right,  monsieur,"  said  she, 
glancing  at  the  Russian,  who  smiled,  and  at  the  Gali- 
cian,  who  appeared  not  to  listen.     "But,"  added  she 


26  THE    JEW. 

quickly,  "  we  will  not  grieve  about  it.  En  route  and 
Au  revoir  /  " 

11  Au  revoir!  but  where?" 

"At  Genoa." 

"At  what  place?" 

"  At  Aqua  Sola,"  said  one  of  the  Italians  ;  "  there 
is  good  music  there,  and  there  we  may  easily  find  each 
other." 

Every  one  arose  and  saluted  the  lady,  who  held  out  her 
hand  to  the  young  Pole  and  wished  him  better  health. 

The  rest  of  the  company  prepared  to  leave,  wishing 
each  other  a  pleasant  journey.  The  Dane  took  the 
diligence  and  the  Tsigane  an  omnibus.  The  Italians 
went  on  foot.  The  German  found  it  economical  to 
glide  into  the  vehicle  of  the  ftroftrietaire,  in  the  midst 
of  tomatoes  and  fruits. 

"  We  will  go  together,"  said  the  Jew  to  the  Pole. 
"  I  do  not  wish  to  part  with  you.  I  have  a  carriage, 
and  if  you  will  not  come  willingly  I  shall  employ  force." 

"  But  I  have  no  right  to  trouble  you." 

"  On  the  contrary,  you  will  do  me  a  service.  Soli- 
tude fatigues  me,  and  your  company  will  distract  my 
thoughts.  It  is  a  genuine  favour  that  you  will  grant 
me.  Come,  no  more  doubts.  Give  me  your  hand, 
brother,  and  think  no  more  about  it." 

From  the  threshold  of  the  inn  the  landlord  saw  the 
departure  of  the  invalid  with  great  satisfaction.  And 
his  joy  was  augmented  by  the  fact  that  all  had  paid 
well,  and  that  his  first  care  now  was  to  prepare  a  sec- 
ond dinner. 


SES  TRI-PONENTE. 


27 


"What  good  luck,"  *said  he  to  himself,  "that  that 
young  stranger  should  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
those  people.  If  it  had  not  been  so  he  might  per- 
haps have  committed  suicide  here,  and  I  should 
have  been  obliged  to  bury  him  at  my  own  expense, 
for  he  did  not  appear  to  have  a  heavy  haversack,  and 
I  do  not  believe  he  had  a  sou.  May  God  deliver  me 
from  any  more  such  tourists  !  Yes,  I  have  had  a 
lucky  escape." 


2$  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER     II. 

JUDAISM    AND    POLAND. 

The  two  men  traversed  in  almost  uninterrupted 
silence  the  short  distance  which  separated  Sestri 
from  Genoa.  The  route  is  simply  a  continuous  line 
of  straggling  hamlets.  On  one  mass  of  rock  arose 
the  ruins  of  an  old  tower ;  above  the  door  was  the 
image  of  the  Virgin,  patroness  of  the  city.  The 
light-house  appeared  in  the  distance,  then  the  harbour, 
like  an  amphitheatre  around  which  Genoa  la  Superba 
is  built.  This  beautiful  city  is  seen  to  best  advan- 
tage from  the  sea.  It  is  a  city  of  palaces,  with  its 
colonnades,  its  porticos  and  staircases,  its  streets 
climbing  toward  the  sky  or  sinking  in  sudden  preci- 
pices. It  has  been  likened  to  an  enormous  shell 
thrown  up  by  the  waves  of  the  sea.  The  marine 
monster  who  lived  in  this  shell  has  been  replaced  by 
a  miserable  spider ;  a  life  full  of  littleness  has  suc- 
ceeded the  life  of  grandeur  of  past  ages. 

In  this  marble  city  the  inhabitants  to-day  are  some- 
what embarrassed.  The  shell  is  too  large  for  them, 
—  this  shell,  in  the  bottom  of  which  the  turbulent 
Genoese  Republic  vied  with  Venice  in  its  traffic  and 
its  aristocracy.  New  peoples  are  there,  new  ways. 
The    Balbi   and    Palaviccini    palaces    now   have    the 


JUDAISM   AND    POLAND.  29 

appearance  of  tombs,  while  at  the  port  the  modern 
Italian  struggles  for  precedence  in  a  new  form  of 
existence,  perhaps  as  full  of  pride  as  in  the  vanished 
past. 

The  carriage  rolled  softly  through  the  streets  which 
led  to  the  interior  of  the  city. 

"  Permit  me  to  alight,"  said  the  young  Pole 
suddenly. 

"Why?" 

"  To  go  in  search  of  lodgings." 

"  I  thought  it  was  agreed  that  we  travel  together?  " 

"  Yes  ;  but  I  wish  to  live  alone.  I  tell  you  frankly 
that  I  have  scarcely  enough  to  finish  my  journey.  It 
is  necessary  for  me  to  seek  cheap  lodgings." 

"  Have  you  not  accepted  my  fraternal  offer  to  stay 
with  me?" 

"  Yes,  perhaps ;  but  poverty  has  its  pride,  as  wealth 
sometimes  has  its  humility.  Do  not  be  angry  be- 
cause I  wish  to  retain  .my  independence.  It  is  so 
good  to  be  free,  when  liberty  costs  only  a  bad  dinner 
and  a  wretched  bed." 

"  I  understand  your  scruples,"  replied  the  Jew. 
"  If  they  were  of  any  value  I  would  heed  them. 
I  do  not  dream  of  chaining  you  to  myself.  My  offer 
amounts  to  little,  but  it  is  made  with  a  good  heart,  and 
if  you  find  life  with  me  insupportable  you  can  leave 
me.  In  asking  you  to  share  my  lodgings,  if  only  for 
a  night,  I  do  not  make  any  sacrifice,  and  you  owe  me 
no  gratitude.  Do  not  refuse.  I  can  share  with  you 
without  inconvenience,  and  it  is  you  who  will  do  me 


30  THE    JEW. 

a  favour.  I  am  sad- hearted  ;  solitude  oppresses  me, 
I  do  not  wish  to  be  alone.  Come  with  me  to  my 
hotel.  I  do  not  ask  you  to  amuse  me,  but  only  to 
be  near  me.  My  heart  longs  to  overflow  into  the 
heart  of  a  fellow-man.  If  I  weary  you,  you  are  at 
liberty  to  leave  me  to  my  sufferings." 

"It  would  be  foolish  for  me,"  said  the  Pole,  "to 
refuse  such  a  courteous  invitation.  Pardon  my  too 
susceptible  pride.     It  was  owing  to  my  poverty." 

"  I  honour  the  sentiment,"  replied  the  Jew  smil- 
ing. Then  he  cried  to  the  driver,  "  To  the  Hotel 
Feder !  " 

The  Hotel  Feder,  like  most  of  the  hostelries  of 
Genoa,  of  Venice,  and  of  other  Italian  cities,  is  an 
ancient  palace  appropriated  to  this  new  service.  The 
structure,  half  antique  and  half  modern,  has  a  strange 
appearance.  At  the  foot  of  the  court,  obscure  and 
abandoned,  trickles  an  old  fountain ;  a  narrow  path 
passes  under  the  windows  of  the  chambers,  and  on 
every  side  can  be  discovered  traces  of  former  gran- 
deur, relics  of  a  romantic  age  now  superseded  every- 
where by  the  plain  practical  life  of  to-day,  whose  chief 
end  is  money-getting. 

The  companions  obtained  a  large  room  on  the 
third  floor  with  two  beds,  the  windows  of  which  com- 
manded a  fine  view  of  the  port,  bristling  with  masts, 
like  a  garden  of  shrubs  despoiled  of  their  leaves  by 
winter.  In  the  distance  the  Mediterranean  could  be 
seen  stretching  away  to  the  horizon. 

They  had  hardly  entered  the  room  when  the  young 


JUDAISM  AND   POLAND.  31 

man  fell  exhausted  into  a  chair,  and  seemed  about  to 
swoon  for  the  second  time.  Some  cologne  revived 
him,  and  a  slight  repast  soon  dispelled  his  weakness, 
the  result  of  long  fasting  and  excessive  fatigue.  His 
strength  returned  with  rest  and  nourishment. 

"And  now,"  advised  the  Jew,  "  lie  down  on  this 
couch,  or  perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  go  to  bed." 

"  If  you  will  permit  me?  "  asked  the  young  man 
timidly. 

"  Nay,  I  beg  you  to  do  so." 

"And  you?" 

"  Oh,  I  will  see  Genoa  this  evening.  Never  mind 
me.  I  will  amuse  myself;  all  I  ask  of  you  at  present 
is  to  sleep  ;  and,  mind,  you  must  not  even  dream." 

He  took  his  hat  and  cane  and  left  the  room.  The 
young  man  fell  like  one  dead  on  the  bed,  and  was 
asleep  before  his  head  touched  the  pillow.  Fatigue 
is  not  the  same  in  old  age  as  in  youth,  for  then  sleep 
soon  restores  the  exhausted  energies. 

The  young  traveller  was  awakened  from  his  pro- 
found slumber  by  the  discordant  braying  of  the  asses 
grouped  under  the  windows  of  the  hotel.  He  had 
forgotten  the  events  of  the  past  evening,  and  threw  an 
astonished  glance  around  the  luxurious  apartment. 
He  who  had  for  so  long  a  time  been  accustomed  to 
sleep  in  miserable  lodgings  now  awoke  in  a  pleasant 
room,  and  saw  a  simple  but  abundant  breakfast  spread 
out  on  the  table  beside  him. 

The  Jew  returned  from  a  sea-bath,  prepared  to  do 
it  honour. 


32  THE    JEW. 

"Is  it  then  very  late?"  murmured  the  Pole,  rising 
from  the  bed. 

"No,  not  very  late.  I  arose  early  to  enjoy  the 
freshness  of  the  morning.     Have  you  slept  well?  " 

"  I  know  not." 

"How  is  that?" 

"  I  fell  like  a  piece  of  lead.  I  rise  as  I  fell  without 
having  stirred,  without  having  moved  even.  I  have 
slept  the  sleep  of  the  dead." 

"  And  how  do  you  feel  at  present?  " 

"  Strong  as  Hercules,  thanks  to  you." 

"  Ah,  bah  !  thanks  to  youth.  Does  your  head  ache 
still?" 

"  Not  at  all." 

"  Then  let  us  attend  to  breakfast." 

"  You  treat  me  too  well,  dear  Amphitryon.  This  is 
a  breakfast  worthy  of  Lucullus  and  of  the  Sybarites. 
I  have  contented  myself  for  a  long  while  on  awakening 
with  a  glass  of  sour  wine  and  a  piece  of  bread  with 
cheese.  A  similar  repast  in  the  evening,  and  that  was 
all.  I  cannot  permit  myself  luxuries.  I,  a  poor 
orphan,  without  future  or  friend,  have  never  been 
pampered." 

"  It  is  not  necessary  that  this  should  hinder  your 
eating,"  interrupted  the  Jew  gayly.  "  I  am  hungry, 
and  will  set  you  an  example.  Let  us  begin.  We  will 
become  better  acquainted." 

"  That  is  true ;  we  do  not  even  know  each  other's 
names." 

"Very  well.  I  have  the  honour  to  present  you 
Jacob  Hamon." 


JUDAISM  AND    POLAND.  33 

"  And  I,"  said  the  Pole  in  his  turn,  "  my  friends 
have  christened  me  familiarly  with  the  name  of  Ivas.  In 
reality  I  am  called  Jean  Huba.  Huba,  and  not  Hube, 
which  is  a  German  name.  You  will  learn  it  if  you 
know  Poland  a  little,  for  I  am  from  a  Russian  province, 
in  the  language  of  which  Huba  signifies  champignon. 
It  is  like  the  Polish  Gzybowski  or  Gzybowicz.  This 
name  became  later  an  addition  to  the  family  name  of 
the  Pstrocki  who  came  from  Masovia  to  gain  their  liv- 
ing in  a  more  fertile  land.  In  full,  I  am  Jean  Huba 
Pstrocki  ex  Masovia  olim  oriundus,  in  Russia  posses- 
sionatus  et  natus." 

"  Have  you  any  kindred  there?  "  asked  Jacob. 

"  Neither  kindred  nor  an  inch  of  ground.  I  am  an 
orphan  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  My  father,  after 
losing  his  last  cent,  and  seeing  his  little  farm  in 
Volhynie  devastated  by  hail  and  other  plagues,  died, 
leaving  me  to  the  charity  of  men.  From  pity  they 
sent  me  to  school,  where  I  passed  the  examination 
and  entered  the  university." 

"  Why  did  you  leave  the  country?  " 

"  Because  with  us  college  pranks  are  considered  as  a 
crime  ;  because  we  are  not  permitted  to  love  our  coun- 
try, neither  in  its  past  nor  future  ;  because  those  who 
stifle  seek  the  air.  For  writing  some  simple  patriotic 
verses  I  was  threatened  with  banishment  to  Siberia." 

"Always  the  malady  of  the  oppressed,"  remarked 
the  Jew.  "  Where  veterans  are  seen  tearing  up  all 
their  rights,  the  young  try  to  reconquer,  and,  in  their 
unreflecting  enthusiasm,  often  find  exile,  misery,  and 
death." 


34  THE    JEW. 

They  both  sighed,  and  Jacob  asked  :  — 

"  Why  do  you  dream  of  returning  to  a  country  from 
which  you  were  obliged  to  flee? " 

"I  know  not  myself."  replied  Ivas  sadly;  "  I  only 
know  that  I  return  to  my  native  land.  '  Suffering  has 
pushed  me  to  it.  I  have  not  learned  to  live  in  any 
other  country,  and  exile  is  to  me  intolerable,  morally 
and  physically.  I  left  home  believing  that  ideas  of 
liberty,  concord,  light,  and  justice  vibrated  in  the 
hearts  of  other  men  as  in  mine.  Alas  \  society  is  not 
what  I  thought  it.  It  has  no  place  for  the  oppressed, 
no  hand  to  hold  out  to  the  dying,  .no  consolation  to 
offer  to  the  afflicted,  no  shelter  to  the  proscribed.  I 
return,  then,  to  the  country  I  have  left.  There,  at  least, 
beat  some  generous  hearts,  while  in  Europe  "  — 

"  Europe  has  grown  old,"  interrupted  Jacob.  "  She 
is  afraid  of  quarrelling.  The  world  is  in  the  hands 
of  charlatans  who  profit  by  the  sufferings  of  martyrs. 
Truth  is  no  more  comprehended.  They  mock  at  her. 
Men  who  are  crafty  and  'unscrupulous  profit  by 
everything  in  these  days. N-  'Self-interest  is  the  only 
spring  of  human  interest.  The  heart  has  given  out 
its  last  spark  of  generosity,  and  the  world  is  drifting 
towards  scepticism  and  intolerance.  Men  pride  them- 
selves on  unbelief,  for  liberty  has  degenerated  into 
an  unbridled  license.  Revolution  has  setrup  a  pedestal 
for  the  ambition  of  impostors,  and  the  apostles  of 
progress  make  money  out  of  their  dupes.  Fortunately 
humanity  will  grow  better." 

While   he  was  speaking,  the  sun  rose  high  in  the 


JUDAISM  AND    POLAND.  35 

heavens,  and  the  heat,  which  was  great,  made  it  un- 
comfortable to  walk  abroad.  The  Jew  closed  the 
shutters,  and  the  two  companions  continued  their  con- 
versation in  a  subdued  light  and  comparative  coolness. 

"  I  ought  to  make  myself  known  to  you,"  said  the 
Jew,  after  a  short  silence.  "We  understand  each 
other  already,  but  my  exceptional  position  requires 
explanation.  Our  acquaintance,  which  commenced 
near  Genoa,  will  not  end  here,  I  hope.  You  can  tell 
me  more  of  yourself  later  on,  but  it  is  right  that  I 
should  be  the  first  to  make  a  frank  confidence.  It  is 
a  courtesy  that  I  wish  to  show  to  our  new-born 
friendship. 

"The word  'Jew  '  contains  all  my  history.  It  tells 
my  destiny,  it  divines  my  character.  This  known,  the 
consequences  are  certain.  The  Jew,  even  while  he 
has  ceased  to  be  a  pariah  in  society,  still  remains  no 
less  an  enigma.  For  several  thousand  years  he  has 
borne  engraved  on  his  forehead  his  holy  mission,  — 
a  mission  of'  suffering,  humility,  and  abasement.  But 
from  this  deep  abasement  he  comes  out  greater,  to  go 
forward  toward  the  universal  power  he  lends  to  the 
entire  world.  He  builds  and  tears  down  thrones, 
dominates  over  governments,  makes  laws,  and  reigns 
in  an  invisible  manner.  It  is  with  pride  that  I  say  it, 
the  word   'Jew  '  has  immense  significance. 

"  Pardon  me  if  I  forget  myself  in  speaking  of  the 
Jews.  I  feel  myself  a  child  of  that  great  family  on 
the  foreheads  of  which  the  finger  of  Moses  has  in- 
scribed the  mysterious  name  —  Jehovah. 


36  THE    JEW. 

"  Before  being  a  man  I  am  a  Jew.  This  word  recalls 
much  suffering,  the  first  legislation  worthy  of  human- 
ity, the  most  ancient  morals  emanating  from  divine 
wisdom  in  the  Ten  Commandments. 

"  As  God  is  eternal,  so  are  his  laws.  When  nations 
were  wandering  and  lost  in  the  by-ways  of  polytheism 
and  of  anomalism  (if  I  can  by  this  word  express  the 
absence  of  laws),  the  one  God  is  manifested  to  us  ;  and 
to  us  is  communicated  the  sacred  fire,  which  we  have 
preserved  during  all  ages. 

"  We  are  spread  over  the  whole  world,  holding  fast 
the  word  of  God.  During  two  thousand  years  we 
have  not  made  proselytes :  we  have  guarded  the 
treasure  for  ourselves.  The  world  is  busy,  toils  and 
labours ;  and  we  live  on,  absorbed  entirely  in  guarding 
this  treasure.  We  are  preserved  in  all  our  suffering, 
a  distinct  people,  bearing  everywhere  our  country  in 
our  hearts,  in  our  holy  books  and  our  religious  ser- 
vices, and  in  all  the  minute  circumstances  of  life. 
But  to-day,  I  fear,  alas  !  that  we  have  thrown  from 
our  shoulders  this  dear  burden.  The  Jewish  idea 
seems  to  have  diminished  with  the  cessation  of  perse- 
cution.    But  to  return  to  my  personal  history. 

"  I  was  born  of  one  of  those  Jewish  families  scattered 
in  the  Polish  villages.  You  probably  know  something 
of  the  Jews  in  Poland,  a  country  that  I  love  as  well 
as  you  do,  and  on  which  I  can  cast  only  one  reproach. 
The  Poles,  though  deeply  imbued  with  the  idea  of 
human  dignity,  refused  the  name  of  man  to  all  those 
who  were  not  noble.     Poland,  like  the  Republic  of 


JUDAISM  AND    POLAND.  37 

Venice,  has  not  known  how  to  reform  herself.  Caste 
prevailed  to  so  great  a  degree  that  she  has  preferred 
to  perish  sooner  than  adopt  a  new  mode  of  existence, 
and  risk  all  in  the  defence  of  liberty.  Nevertheless, 
in  the  lives  of  these  people  I  recognize  a  great  and 
brilliant  spirit  like  our  own.  In  speaking  of  Poland, 
I  do  not  call  myself  a  Pole,  for  I  am  a  Jew,  and  we 
are  a  distinct  people,  it  matters  not  what  land  we 
dwell  in.  In  judging  Poland's  past  impartially,  one 
can  perhaps  criticise,  but  must  acknowledge  that  it  is 
full  of  poetry  ;•  it  is  a  Homeric  epoch." 

"  Stop  !  "  cried  the  young  Pole,  "  you  are  a  son  of 
the  present ;  do  not  excuse  the  past." 

"  Why  do  you  speak  thus  ?  " 

"  Why  ?  Because  I  was  born  in  the  midst  of  new 
ideas.  I  condemn  the  most  brilliant  epochs  of  our 
history,  for  they  were  the  veritable  cause  of  our  ruin. 
We  who  are  descended  from  those  guardians  of  our 
rights  are  now  their  judges,  and  we  justly  consider  as 
the  greatest  kings  those  who  tried  to  crush  the  nobil- 
ity to  establish  their  own  power." 

"  You  are  partly  right.  Nevertheless,  when  I  medi- 
tate on  Poland,  she  seems  to  me  strange,  frightful,  at 
times  almost"  savage,  but  always  grand  and  magnificent, 
chivalrous  and  noble.  No  one  has  a  better  right  than 
the  Jew  to  condemn  the  Polish  nobility,  yet  it  is  neces- 
sary to  judge  a  nation  without  personal  prejudice." 

"  We  will  discuss  this  subject  at  another  time,"  in- 
terrupted the  young  man ;  "  but  there  is  really  some- 
thing strange  in  the  fact  that  I,  a  noble  Pole,  should 


38  THE    JEW. 

condemn  the  past  more  than  you,  a  Jew.  You  are 
truly  magnanimous  !  " 

Jacob  smiled,  and  said,  "  I  am  older  than  you,  dear 
brother,  if  not  in  years,  at  least  in  experience.  Suffer- 
ing, labour,  and  meditation,  and  perhaps,  also,  the  sor- 
rows of  bygone  generations,  have  prematurely  aged  me." 

"That  is  true  ;  but  tell  me  more  about  yourself." 

"Do  not  be  impatient.  I  cannot  do  otherwise. 
We  will  travel  over  a  rocky  road,  like  the  mineralo- 
gists. Every  time  that  we  encounter  a  curious  stone 
we  will  strike  it  with  our  hammer  to  find  out  what  it 
contains.  So  we  will  pause  to  discuss  different  sub- 
jects. But  do  you  not  remember  that  it  will  soon  be 
time  to  go  to  Aqua  Sola?  " 

"  Ah,  yes  !  It  is  true  that  we  shall  meet  my  beau- 
tiful benefactress,  who,  like  the  Samaritan,  gave  me  aid 
in  my  distress." 

"  This  Italienne  who  bathed  your  temples  with  water, 
and  at  the  same  time,  perhaps,  lighted  a  fire  in  your 
heart.  But  between  yesterday  and  to-day  there  is  an 
abyss.  Who  knows  how  many  will  keep  the  rendez- 
vous at  Aqua  Sola?  " 

"  Do  you  think  many  will  fail  to  put  in  an  appear- 
ance? " 

"  Experience  has  taught  me  to  count  very  little  on 
engagements  twenty-four  hours  old,  and  not  at  all  on 
those  dating  back  several  weeks." 

"The  evening  is  still  far  off,"  said  the  Pole. 

"Very  far.     The  sun  is  yet  high  in  the  heavens." 

"Then  pray  continue  your  autobiography." 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  39 


CHAPTER     III. 

EDUCATION   OF   JACOB. 

"Who  does  not  love  to  recall  the  occurrences  of 
youth,  however  sad  ?  I  cannot  boast  of  happiness  in  my 
childhood,  yet  the  memory  of  those  days  brings  tears 
to  my  eyes,  and  I  repeat  that  which  is  written  in  one 
of  our  books  :  '  Youth  is  a  garland  of  flowers  ;  old  age, 
a  crown  of  thorns.'  Even  in  comparison  with  ma- 
turity, full  of  power  and  intelligence,  those  years  seem 
to  me  strewn  with  flowers,  although  they  were  unhappy. 

"  My  parents  were  descended  from  an  important 
and  once  wealthy  family,  whose  fortunes  had  declined 
for  several  generations.  They  found  themselves  for  a 
time  in  the  lowest  degree  of  society,  working  in  the 
village  inns  or  occupying  themselves  in  some  little 
business  or  petty  speculations  in  wheat  or  cattle.  To 
speak  frankly,  my  father  was  an  innkeeper  in  a  little 
village.  He  was  a  quiet,  studious  man,  loving  his 
books,  and  little  calculated  for  business.  My  mother 
took  care  of  everything.  She  was  the  second  wife  of 
my  father,  Joel,  who  had  lost  his  first  after  the  birth  of 
a  son,  Joel,  who  was  already  well  grown  when  I  came 
into  the  world. 

"  Joel,  the  elder,  was  of  a  gloomy  character,  silent, 
concentrated,  a  dreamer,     He  was  absorbed  in  ab- 


40  THE    JEW. 

struse  speculations,  and  was  happy  only  when  he  was 
left  in  undisturbed  possession  of  his  books.  He  was 
generally  esteemed  on  account  of  his  learning,  but  his 
family  suffered  from  his  inaptitude  for  business,  which 
was  for  us  a  question  of  life. 

"  It  has  been,  and  is  still,  with  the  Jews,  a  traditional 
duty  to  amass  wealth.  This  does  not  proceed  from 
the  character  of  the  race,  but  from  the  conditions  un- 
der which  they  live.  The  only  rights  accorded,  or, 
rather,  dearly  sold,  to  the  Jews  can  at  any  moment  be 
revoked,  suspended,  or  torn  in  shreds  by  the  tribunal 
of  the  clergy.  Where  can  justice  be  found?  To 
whom  can  they  complain  ?  The  Jew  has  been  forced 
to  seek  in  gold,  which  is  worshipped  by  all  nations,  the 
means  of  obtaining  justice,  rights,  and  consideration. 
The  poor  Jew  has  no  defence,  no  protection,  but  the 
head  of  the  community  to  which  he  belongs.  The 
Christians  have,  in  a  measure,  made  a  religious  duty 
of  avenging  the  death  of  Christ  on  us  ;  this  Christ  who 
was  a  Jew  also.  We  are  therefore  obliged  to  cling  to 
our  money  as  the  only  safeguard,  though  the  law  of 
Moses  condemns  severely  this  love  of  gold.  (Exodus 
xxii.  25.) 

"  My  father  could  not  be  accused  of  enriching 
himself  at  the  expense  of  others.  In  the  end, 
plunged  as  he  was  in  metaphysical  studies,  which 
made  him  forget  the  affairs  of  this  world,  he  lost  even 
the  little  hoard  that  had  been  saved  with  so  much 
difficulty.  All  the  care  and  labour  fell  on  my  poor 
mother,  who  was  much  younger,  and  therefore  inter- 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  ^i 

ested  in  the  future.  I  had  two  sisters  younger  than 
myself,  and  my  half-brother  was  much  older. 

"  Our  rural  establishment  consisted  of  a  rented 
farm,  and  a  tavern  situated  near  a  highway.  The 
locality  was  much  frequented.  We  were  brought  up 
in  a  continual  bustle,  which,  however,  did  not  disturb 
my  father,  who  was  too  absorbed  to  notice  it.  My 
mother  and  two  servants  worked  hard  to  satisfy  their 
guests.  It  would  have  been  a  most  profitable  busi- 
ness, in  spite  of  a  neighbouring  rival,  if  fortune  had 
only  smiled  on  us.  But  that  which  was  made  by  the 
sale  of  brandy,  hay,  and  oats  was  lost  in  other  ways. 
In  his  transactions  with  the  dealers  in  hides  and  cattle, 
my  father  always  came  out  worsted.  He  attributed 
this  ill-luck  to  the  will  of  God  ;  but  my  mother  grieved 
bitterly  over  his  lack  of  business  tact.  We  grew 
poorer  every  day.  The  family  jewels,  my  father's 
furs  and  clothes,  all  that  we  possessed  of  any  value, 
were  gradually  parted  with. 

"  The  owner  of  the  tavern  was  a  noble.  Fat, 
hearty,  always  gay  and  good-humoured,  he  was  a  vi- 
veur  ;  a  heart  good  enough,  but  terribly  dissipated.  He 
cared  not  for  the  morrow,  provided  that  to-day  was 
passed  agreeably.  At  all  times  he  required  money. 
He  was  our  plague,  although  he  was  not  wicked. 
Every  time  that  he  sent  for  Joel  my  mother  wept,  for 
she  knew  that  he  would  have  to  take  money  with 
him. 

"  At  the  manor-house,  which  was  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  tavern,  there  was  always  a  gay  company. 


42  THE    JEW. 

When  he  was  alone  a  single  day,  Micuta  almost  died 
of  ennui.  If  no  one  came  to  amuse  him,  he  ordered 
his  horses,  and  went  to  visit  his  neighbours.  His  wife 
wept  then,  like  my  mother.  She  could  not  prevent 
his  dissipation  nor  correct  his  faults,  but,  womanlike, 
she  loved  him  in  spite  of  all.  To  procure  money 
with  which  to  amuse  himself  was  the  sole  object  of 
this  nobleman,  and  when  he  was  told  that  he  would 
ruin  himself,  he  replied  carelessly,  '  Ah,  bah  !  Provi- 
dence will  provide.     I  will  die  as  I  have  lived.'  " 

"  Such  types,"  said  Ivas,  "  are  common  with  us. 
Every  district  possesses  several  Micutas." 

"  At  the  same  time  that  he  sent  for  Joel  to  bring 
him  money,"  resumed  the  Jew,  "  his  wife,  Madame 
Micuta,  sent  to  my  mother,  and  begged  her  not  to  give 
him  any.  But  how  could  she  resist  when  he  was 
determined  to  have  his  way  at  any  cost  ?  Joel  always 
yielded  to  his  demands.  For  his  continual  banquets 
it  was  necessary  to  have  fish,  meat,  sugar  and 
vegetables,  spices  and  wine.  And  that  was  not  all ; 
the  accounts  increased,  and  my  father  was  obliged  to 
give  his  note  and  pay  usurious  interest. 

"  Naturally  I,  too  young  to  understand  the  state  of 
affairs,  looked  on  the  world  around  me,  and  found  it 
wonderful.  The  tavern  was  always  full  of  travellers. 
Behind  our  garden  was  a  forest  of  oaks,  where  I  loved 
to  wander,  listening  to  the  warbling  of  birds  and  the 
rustling  of  the  branches  overhead.  Now,  I  cannot 
interest  myself  thus  in  nature ;  human  beings  interest 
me  more.     It  is  not  given  to  every  child  to  grow 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  43 

up  in  such  a  turmoil,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of 
strangers  continually  going  and  coming.  From  it  I 
learned  that  there  were  many  people  in  the  world,  and 
at  the  same  time  that  many  of  them  were  strangers. 
I  realized  that  all  these  people  were  preoccupied,  and 
cared  nothing  for  us.  My  mother,  in  these  early  days, 
could  pay  little  attention  to  me,  occupied  as  she  was, 
while  my  father  prayed  and  read.  We  knew  that  she 
loved  us,  but  she  had  no  time  to  caress  or  to  amuse  us. 
I  became  accustomed  at  an  early  age  to  live  alone.  My 
thoughts  were  my  companions,  and  a  secret  mistrust 
separated  me  from  men.  I  loved,  however,  to  observe 
them  and  to  penetrate  their  characters. 

"  I  was  still  quite  young  when  my  father  died,  after 
a  short  illness.  That  day  of  mourning  and  lamenta- 
tion is  engraved  on  my  memory.  It  was  then  that  I 
pronounced  for  the  first  time  the  words,  as  is  the  duty 
of  all  Israelites  whom  the  hand  of  God  has  stricken, 
'  Glory  to  Thee,  equitable  Judge,  may  Thy  will  be 
done.' 

"After  the  old  man's  death,  which  left  me  an  orphan, 
our  landlord  turned  us  out  of  the  tavern  in  spite  of  my 
mother's  entreaties.  She  rented  a  little  inn  situated 
near  a  mill,  on  the  border  of  a  forest.  This  place 
seemed  pleasant  to  us,  but  here  began  hardships  which 
children  only  do  not  feel.  Instead  of  the  incessant 
noise  of  our  inn,  full  day  and  night,  we  now  seldom 
saw  any  one,  save  that  occasionally  an  individual  came 
to  the  mill,  and  this  ran  only  six  months  in  the  year,  on 
account  of  lack  of  water. 


4~ 


44  THE    JEW. 

"  During  this  dull  season  we  scarcely  sold  a  barrel 
of  brandy." 

"  Around  the  little  cabin  murmured  the  pine-trees, 
and  the  narrow  path  which  led  to  the  mill  was  over- 
grown with  trailing  vines  and  herbs.  We  lived  in  this 
solitude  on  black  bread  and  vegetables  furnished  by 
our  little  garden.  My  mother  grew  more  despairing 
every  day,  and  appealed  to  her  relatives  and  to  those 
of  my  father,  but  in  vain.  We  were  in  rags,  but  yet 
we  children  were  not  unhappy.  Presently  I  reached 
the  age  for  study.  My  mother  grieved  over  her  in- 
ability to  have  me  taught,  and  I  remember  that  one 
day  she  left  us  under  the  protection  of  a  poor  Jew  of 
the  neighbourhood,  and  was  gone  for  some  weeks. 
She  returned  a  little  more  tranquil,  kissed  my  forehead 
and  said,  *  Rejoice,  my  son,  thou  shalt  soon  have  some 
one  to  instruct  thee  ! ' 

"  I  realized  so  little  the  importance  of  this  promise, 
that  I  was  much  more  pleased  with  the  sweet  cakes 
which  she  brought  me.  You  know  what  care  the 
Israelites  take  in  the  education  of  their  children,  for  it 
is  in  that  way  that  we  learn  the  laws  and  traditions  of 
our  people ;  it  is,  in  a  word,  the  shaping  of  our  souls. 
From  the  rabbi,  at  five  years,  every  boy  ought  to  learn 
the  Bible  ;  at  ten,  the  Michna ;  at  thirteen,  the  Divine 
Ordinances  ;  and  at  fifteen,  the  Gemara."" 

Seeing  an  expression  of  incredulity  spread  over  the 
lips  of  Ivas,  Jacob  paused.  "  I  am  aware,"  said  he, 
"  that  these  books  have  been  ridiculed  to  you  by  men 
who  are  antagonistic  to  us.     They  know  only  the  out- 


EDUCATIOJV    OF  JACOB.  45 

lines  of  their  teachings,  and  that  very  superficially  or 
by  hearsay.  It  is,  however,  to  these  customs  which 
appear  ridiculous  to  you  that  we  owe  the  fact  that  we 
have  not  disappeared  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  nor 
become  absorbed  by  other  nations.  Obscure  as  the 
text  is,  it  merits  our  gratitude. 

I  remember,  as  if  it  was  yesterday,  the  arrival  of  my 
tutor.  I  was  at  the  door  of  our  cabin,  when  from  a 
miserable  vehicle  alighted  a  being  so  deformed  and  of 
such  a  frightful  appearance  that  he  scarcely  seemed 
human.  The  body  of  this  creature  was  so  bent  by 
long  study  that  he  could  not  stand  erect.  He  was 
hump-backed,  and  from  his  curved  chest  arose  an 
enormous  head,  with  a  high  forehead,  from  which 
shone  a  pair  of  piercing  black  eyes.  His  glance 
terrifies  me  even  now  in  my  dreams.  It  seemed  as  if 
he  could  penetrate  one's  inmost  thoughts.  The  outer 
world  was  nothing  to  the  owner  of  these  eyes  ;  he  lived 
for  books  alone.  Lame  in  one  foot,  he  walked  with 
difficulty,  leaning  on  a  cane.  It  was  more  of  a  hop 
than  a  walk. 

"  Such  was  my  mentor.  He  came  from  the  village, 
was  called  Moche,  and  was  celebrated  in  the  vicinity  for 
his  great  learning.  His  knowledge  of  sacred  literature 
was  most  extensive.  He  recited  by  heart  long  passages 
of  the  Talmud  and  of  the  Kabala,  without  omitting  a 
word,  without  forgetting  an  accent.  His  life  was  de- 
voted to  the  instruction  of  children  and  to  self-culture. 
The  world  did  not  interest  him ;  he  lived  entirely 
in  the  past.    No  doubt  he  would  never  have  consented 


46  THE    JEW. 

to  come  to  us,  had  he  not  been  attracted  by  two  boxes 
full  of  rare  books,  the  heritage  of  my  father. 

"  Moch^  was  a  strict  teacher,  and  insisted  on  the 
observance  of  all  religious  rules  and  traditions.  He 
was  a  travelling  encyclopedia  which  moved  mechani- 
cally. I  doubt  if  there  ever  was  a  more  severe 
teacher.  He  fulfilled  his  functions  without  pity, 
almost  with  cruelty. 

"  Deprived  so  suddenly  of  my  liberty,  I  was  forced 
to  embrace  so  many  studies  that  I  thought  I  should 
lose  my  reason  and  become  a  fool.  But,  at  any  cost,  I 
must  learn  to  be  a  Jew,  or  perish.  Mechanically  my 
head  was  filled  with  words,  with  long  tirades  which  I 
had  to  repeat  without  stopping,  each  intonation  of 
which,  required  by  the  sense  of  the  phrase,  had  to  be 
learned  with  care.  In  spite  of  the  brutality  of  this 
method,  it  was  a  spur  to  my  intelligence,  which 
gradually  opened  and  put  itself  in  motion. 

"  I  commenced  to  study  with  some  understanding. 
It  is  difficult  to  determine  what  influence  on  the  mind 
of  a  child  the  study  of  past  generations  has.  It  is 
certain  that,  on  commencing  the  study  of  the  Bible 
and  the.  history  of  my  people,  I  believed  myself 
awakened  from  a  dream  after  a  long  slumber.  Once  the 
first  difficulties  vanished,  I  applied  myself  so  ardently 
to  study  that  Moche  was  astonished.  It  was  not  his 
custom  to  encourage  children  by  pleasant  words,  but  he 
showed  himself  less  severe  toward  me,  without,  at  any 
time,  becoming  affectionate.  The  only  thing  that  annoyed 
him  was  when  I  asked  explanations  of  the  passages 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  tf 

which  we  studied.  Then  he  was  cross,  and  rapped  my 
fingers  with  a  little  rod  which  served  him  for  pointing 
out  the  letters.  He  wished  to  chase  from  my  brain 
that  which  he  considered  premature  pride.  Moche 
often  repeated  to  me,  to  pique  me  into  emulation,  that, 
following  the  rabbins,  the  world  rests  on  the  breath  of 
children  who  learn  the  law  of  God,  and  not  on  the 
intelligence  of  savants. 

"  Laugh,  if  you  will,  but  these  remembrances  have  a 
great  charm  for  me." 

"  That  does  not  prevent  me  from  laughing  at  your 
club-footed  Moche,"  said  Ivas. 

"  I  do  not  dream  of  poetizing  him.  I  even  say  that 
his  severity  rendered  him  almost  a  savage.  Although 
he  was  always  polite  to  my  mother,  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  reproach  her  for  not  keeping  up  our  customs  more 
rigidly.     Then  he  would  threaten  to  go  away. 

"  For  us  Moche"  was  a  .sort  of  bugbear.  Yet  when 
he  was  roused  he  became  almost  grand.  Then  the 
brightness  of  his  soul  became  so  apparent  that  you  did 
not  think  of  his  body.  When  he  recited  to  us  the  suf- 
ferings of  Israel  the  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks,  he  was 
excited  almost  to  frenzy.  His  voice  was  broken  with 
sobs,  and  he  often  sang  the  verses  in  an  inspired  voice. 
In  these  moments  his  hair  was  pushed  back  from  his 
forehead,  and  his  body  shook  with  a  nervous  tremor, 
produced  by  extreme  susceptibility  and  appreciation 
of  the  subject ;  his  memory  was  prodigious. 

"  Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  my  master,  not  flattering, 
but  very  like  him. 


48  THE    JEW. 

"  It  was  he  who  made  me  read  the  first  books  of  the 
Bible,  or  rather  who  made  me  weep  over  them.  He 
was  so  conscientious  that,  having  recognized  in  me  a 
certain  ability,  he  advised  my  mother  to  send  me  to  a 
neighbouring  town  to  finish  my  education. 

"  Thanks  to  him,  at  thirteen,  following  our  custom,  I 
read  publicly  in  the  Synagogue  passages  from  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  I  was  made  one  of  the  ten  officiants  of 
the  temple,  the  number  necessary  for  the  assembly  to 
be  considered  complete. 

"  It  was  exceedingly  difficult  for  my  poor  mother  to 
remove.  But  she  resolved  to  use  every  effort  in  my 
behalf.  Miserable  as  our  existence  was  near  the  mill, 
it  had  some  advantages,  for  our  rent  was  very  low,  and 
we  had  fuel,  thanks  to  the  woods  which  surrounded 
our  cabin,  and  vegetables  from  our  little  garden.  In 
the  town  we  should  have  had  to  pay  for  everything, 
even  water.  How  could  we#live?  How  could  she  do 
it?  How  transport  her  children  thither?  And  after 
getting  there,  on  what  resources  could  we  subsist  ? 

"  While  my  mother  racked  her  brain  to  find  an  an- 
swer to  these  questions,  my  half-brother,  having  already 
amassed  a  little  fortune  by  selling  hides,  came  to  pay 
us  a  visit. 

"  This  unlooked-for  event  was  of  great  importance 
to  us.  We  had  not  seen  him  for  a  long  time.  He 
was  nearly  thirty  years  old,  and  was  married.  His 
wife's  marriage  portion  and  a  little  heritage  from  my 
father  formed  a  small  capital,  which  he  had  known  how 
to  increase.     The  first  year  of  his  married  life  he  had 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  49 

lived  at  the  expense  of  his  wife's  parents,  who  were 
willing  to  do  anything  in  their  power.  Afterward  he 
established  himself  separately,  and  little  by  little  in- 
creased his  business.  Fortune,  which  had  frowned  on 
our  father,  smiled  on  the  son.  This  gave  him  courage  ; 
economical,cold,  prudent,  he  devoted  all  his  intelligence 
to  the  success  of  his  projects.  To  be  rich  was  his  aim, 
and  he  was  convinced  that  he  should  succeed.  He  was 
not  yet  well  enough  off  to  draw  money  from  his  busi- 
ness to  aid  us,  but  he  brought  us  news  of  relations  of 
my  mother's,  who,  touched  at  last  by  her  sad  situation, 
sent  her  a  small  sum  of  money  to  invest  in  some  busi- 
ness, the  profits  of  which  might  educate  my  sisters  and 
me.  My  mother  wept  with  joy.  We  children  were 
sad  when  we  heard  that  we  were  to  leave  the  mill  and 
the  forest,  but  we  soon  became  accustomed  to  the  life 
of  a  town. 

"  The  elder  brother  was  received  with  great  affec- 
tion. My  mother  asked  him  if  he  knew  of  any  way 
for  her  to  invest  the  money.  Joel,  who  wished  to  in- 
crease his  business,  proposed  that  she  invest  the  sum 
with  him  and  share  his  house.  She  agreed  to  the 
proposition,  and  the  next  day,  impatient  for  the 
change,  sent  for  a  vehicle  to  remove  from  the  cabin. 

"  Here  commenced  the  second  period  of  my  life. 
You  have  seen  that  my  childhood  was  not  cradled  on 
a  bed  of  roses,  that  I  have  suffered,  and  that  suffering 
was  the  sun  which  hastened  my  development.  As 
the  sun's  rays  make  the  flowers  blossom,  so  hardship 
forced  my  character  to  unfold.     Those  years  have  left 


5<d  THE    JEW. 

me  memories,  for  the  most  part  disagreeable.  Mem- 
ories of  ruin,  of  labour,  of  fighting  against  hunger, 
cold,  and  the  contempt  of  men  which  paralyzed  the 
intelligence,  and  prevented  one  from  rising  above 
bodily  occupations.  It  is  permitted  to  poets,  or 
rather  to  those  who  give  themselves  out  as  such,  to 
exalt  in  nature  an  impossible  idealism  and  to  rebel 
against  materialism.  But,  alas  !  on  regarding  actual 
life,  how  many  needs  we  have,  and  how  much  is  re- 
quired for  mere  existence  ! 

"  Man  in  full  strength  can  battle  with  nature  and 
poverty  and  come  out  conqueror.  It  is,  nevertheless, 
very  difficult  to  rid  one's  self  of  the  cares  of  each  day, 
the  rock  of  Sisyphus  which  rolls  back  on  us  continually. 
The  Jews  were  very  numerous  in  our  town ;  indeed, 
they  formed  the  larger  part  of  the  population.  We 
had  a  synagogue  with  which  I  was  very  much  im- 
pressed, for  until  then  I  had  seen  only  the  miserable 
cabins  which  we  used  for  places  of  worship.  I  could 
for  the  first  time  form  a  just  idea  of  our  religious 
ceremonies,  and  of  the  sabbath  which  draws  us  away 
from  the  world,  restores  us  to  God,  and  brings  us 
nearer,  in  a  measure,  to  our  lost  country.  The  baking 
of  bread,  a  part  of  which  is  given  to  the  poor,  the 
setting  of  the  table,  the  prayers  in  common,  the 
blessing  of  the  wine,  all  the  customs  recall  the  patri- 
archal epoch  when  God  was  with  us,  and  took,  in  a 
way,  part  in  human  existence. 

"  To-day  you  Christians  and  we  Jews  have  driven 
God  from  our  presence,  and  we  have  forgotten  him. 


EDUCATION   OF  JACOB,  51 

Man  made  by  the  hands  of  the  Creator  believes  him- 
self a  god,  and  anthropology  is  the  contemporary 
religion. 

"  In  my  brother's  house  we  dwelt  in  unity  as  one 
family,  of  which  he  was  the  head.  The  women  pre- 
pared in  common  the  evening  meal,  and  what  was 
needed  for  the  morrow.  When  the  hour  for  prayer 
in  the  synagogue  arrived,  an  old  priest  rapped  on  the 
shutters  three  times  with  his  mallet  of  wood,  and  we 
set  out  toward  the  temple  bearing  our  books  under 
our  arms.  The  synagogue  was  an  old  building,  dating 
from  the  sixth  century.  It  had  cost  the  community 
much  money,  for  when  they  were  building  it  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  place,  who  was  a  Catholic,  the  Prince 

K ,  had  little   toleration.      The  Jews,  who   had 

for  worship  only  a  little  wooden  house  with  a  worm- 
eaten  roof,  solicited  permission  to  build  a  new  temple  ; 
which  was  granted  to  them  only  because  money  was 
needed  by  the  proprietor,  and  it  was  not  plenty  just 
then,  there  having  been  a  war.  The  Jews  profited  by 
his  necessity  to  buy  from  the  prince  a  plot  of  ground 
and  the  right  to  erect  thereon  a  brick  synagogue. 
The  traditions  of  the  neighbourhood  speak  of  a  colossal 
sum  paid  for  the  privilege.  During  the  construction 
the  workmen  were  ordered  to  undo  their  work,  and 
to  pull  down  the  carved  balls  which  ornamented  the 
roof  and  made  the  synagogue  more  imposing  than 
any  of  the  surrounding  buildings.  However,  such  as 
it  was,  with  its  style  much  less  Gothic  than  was  planned, 
it  seemed  to  my  childish  eyes  fully  equal  to  Solomon's 
Temple. 


52  THE    JEW. 

"  I  continued  my  studies  with  ardour.  My  teach- 
ers found  in  me  much  aptitude,  and  I  had  an  insatia- 
ble desire  to  learn. 

"  Our  little  town,  except  on  market-days,  was  not 
one  of  the  most  frequented,  although  it  ranked 
among  the  most  important.  It  was  traversed  by  a 
thoroughfare  on  which  a  continual  procession  passed 
to  and  fro.  Our  co-religionists  had  founded  a  school 
here.  As  the  Catholics  had  an  important  church,  and 
the  principal  population  was  composed  of  the  govern- 
ment employes,  it  was  necessary,  in  order  to  remain 
unmolested,  to  pay  without  ceasing. 

"  I  soon  learned  to  conduct  myself  differently 
toward  each  person,  according  to  his  position  on  the 
social  ladder. 

"  In  general  the  Jew  owes  tribute  to  every  one, 
commencing  with  the  door-keepers  of  the  Lords,  and 
the  wives  of  their  door-keepers. 

"One  day  returning  from  my  class  I  found  the 
house  in  a  commotion.  I  feared  at  first  that  there 
had  been  an  accident.  The  smiling  faces  reassured 
me.  They  awaited  the  arrival  of  an  important  per- 
son. My  mother  pulled  me  into  the  house,  and 
ordered  me  to  array  myself  in  my  best.  My  brother 
was  already  dressed.  On  the  table  there  was  brandy, 
with  sweets,  honey  cake,  white  bread,  spiced  bread, 
and  even  a  bottle  of  wine.  I  learned  that  he  whom 
we  were  to  receive  with  so  much  ceremony  was  my 
mother's  cousin,  a  rich  merchant  from  Warsaw.  He 
was  coming  to  decide  about  my  future. 


EDUCATION    OF   JACOB.  53 

"  I  imagined  in  my  childish  brain  a  man  of  impos- 
ing figure  with  a  long  beard  and  a  biblical  costume 
recalling  patriarchal  times.  I  was  still  in  this  dream 
when  a  man  appeared  that  I  should  have  taken  for  a 
Christian.  He  was  dressed  differently  from  us,  wore 
spectacles  and  a  round  hat.  He  had  passed  his  first 
youth,  had  heavy  eyebrows,  large  features,  black  eyes, 
and  a  smooth  face.  His  complexion  was  rosy,  his 
figure  corpulent,  and  he  evidently  considered  himself 
a  man  of  importance. 

"  My  mother  told  me  to  kiss  the  hand  held  out  to 
me  so  majestically.  Afterward  he  examined  me  at- 
tentively, caressed  my  chin,  joked  about  the  cap  that 
I  wore,  and  finished  by  blowing  a  cloud  of  smoke  in 
my  face  from  the  cigar  he  was  smoking.  After  the 
preliminaries,  he  said  in  German,  in  a  patronizing 
voice,  '  I  think  we  can  make  a  man  out  of  this  boy.' 
We  all  listened  to  him  as  to  an  oracle,  because  he  was 
enormously  rich,  and  my  future  depended  on  him. 

"  '  What  think  you  ? '  added  he  addressing  my 
mother.  '  I  will  take  care  of  him,  but  not  in  your 
way.'  Then  turning  to  my  brother  he  continued : 
'There  are  already  enough  Jews  employed  in  little 
ways,  keeping  taverns  in  the  villages.  The  cause  of 
it  is  our  ignorance.' 

"  'Nevertheless,'  replied  Joel,  'this  boy  is  not  ig- 
norant ;  he  has  been  well  taught,  and  he  is  now  learn- 
ing to  read  in  the  Gemara.'  — '  Ah  !  What  does  he 
want  of  the  Gemara?  Do  you  think  of  making  him 
a  rabbi?     It  is  necessary  for  us   in    these   days  to 


54  THE    JEW. 

go  everywhere,  and  not  remain  in  a  corner  !  Why 
these  ear-rings  in  the  ears?  Why  that  iarmulka? 
These  are  all  remnants  of  the  Middle  Ages.  The 
time  of  our  persecution  is  almost  past.  The  world 
opens  to  us.  We  must  be  ready  to  play  an  impor- 
tant role.  The  Jew  has  good  sense  and  judgment, 
which  he  has  preserved  through  hundreds  of  years  of 
suffering.  Why  can  he  not  enjoy  the  same  advan- 
tages as  Christians?  Why  is  not  our  education  as 
well  developed  as  theirs?  With  that  we  can  remain 
Israelites  in  the  bottom  of  our  hearts.' 

"  In  spite  of  their  respect  for  this  wealthy  kinsman 
my  mother  and  my  brother  could  not  agree  with  him, 
for  his  remarks  shocked  their  traditional  ideas.  With- 
out noticing  this  impression  he  continued  :  — 

"  '  I  ought  not  to  forget  that  I  am  a  Jew,  and  to 
keep  my  faith  in  the  citadel  of  my  soul,  but  outwardly 
appear  in  the  world  on  an  equal  footing  with  other 
men,  as  all  sensible  Jews  do,  in  strange  countries,  and 
even  in  the  kingdom  of  Poland.  I  have  examined  this 
lad  attentively.  He  is  worthy  of  Israel.  I  will  oc- 
cupy myself  with  his  education,  but  we  must  send  him 
to  the  Christian  schools.  He  must  commence  to  go 
to  them  here.  Afterward  send  him  to  me,  and  I  will 
take  care  of  him.' 

" '  You  are  our  benefactor  ! '  cried  my  mother. 
'  But  you  know  that  many  of  our  people  have  aban- 
doned their  belief,  and  are  equally  despised  by  the 
Jews  and  the  Christians.  How,  then,  will  he  preserve 
his  paternal  traditions  ?  ' 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  55 

"'And  why  should  he  not  preserve  them?  You 
must  banish  your  puerile  fears,  otherwise  he  will 
vegetate  like  a  good-for-nothing  in  rags  and  misery, 
where  you  are,  instead  of  being  like  me.  I  still  re- 
main a  Jew.  I  go  to  the  synagogue,  and  I  observe 
the  law,  but  no  doubt  less  strictly  than  you.' 

"  All  this  conversation  is  engraven  in  my  memory, 
and  it  fixed  my  destiny. 

"  Having  learned  that  our  kinsman  had  arrived  from 
Warsaw,  Abraham  Machnowiecki,  the  oracle  of  the 
Jews  in  our  town,  came  to  pay  us  a  visit.  His 
was  a  common  type  in  our  community;  he  was  a 
Polish  Jew  of  the  old  school,  a  Polish  Israelite, 
though  he  could  not  give  so  complete  an  account  of 
his  descent  as  Mickiewicz  has  so  well  set  forth  in 
his  Jankiel.  Abraham  was  an  important  man  in  his 
part  of  the  country.  He  had  continual  relations  with 
all  the  proprietors.  He  knew  their  families,  their 
situation,  their  business,  in  a  word,  all  that  concerned 
them.  He  was  much  interested  in  electoral  meet- 
ings. He  was  consulted  on  all  subjects,  and  in  the 
most  delicate  affairs  he  was  often  chosen  arbiter.  He 
was  esteemed  because  he  was  worthy  of  esteem ;  he 
was  received  everywhere  with  courtesy,  and  offered  a 
place  of  honour,  while  his  co-religionists  were  left 
standing  at  the  door.  Without  Abraham  nothing  of 
importance  was  done.  His  bearing  was  full  of  dig- 
nity ;  he  was  very  tall,  and  wore  a  white  beard,  which 
fell  almost  to  his  girdle.  His  ordinary  costume  was  a 
black  redingote,  a  czapka  of  sable,  and  in  summer 


$6  THE    JEW. 

a  wide- brimmed  felt  hat.  A  silver-headed  cane  com- 
pleted the  dress,  by  which  he  was  recognized  from 
a  distance. 

"  In  his  dwelling,  which  was  one  of  the  best  of  the 
neighbourhood,  there  were  always  visitors  on  business. 
He  was  the  banker  of  half  the  proprietors,  and  he 
lent  or  procured  money. 

"The  science  of  Abraham  went  no  further  than  that 
of  most  Jews,  but  he  had  a  quick  intelligence  and  a 
great  knowledge  of  men.  His  predominant  quality 
was  an  imperturbable  calmness.  He  was  never  an- 
noyed, never  gave  any  signs  of  impatience,  and  showed 
in  all  things  an  undisturbed  moderation.  He  was  not 
communicative,  words  came  slowly  from  his  lips,  and 
he  was  thoroughly  trustworthy.  Very  much  attached 
to  his  faith  and  its  customs,  he  was  yet  not  a  fanatic. 

"  This  oracle  so  generally  respected  was  absolutely 
devoid  of  pride.  He  did  not  demand  the  considera- 
tion which  was  naturally  given  him. 

"  The  appearance  of  Abraham  at  our  house  was  rare, 
and  you  may  infer  that  this  extraordinary  circumstance 
was  owing  to  an  invitation  from  my  mother,  who  felt 
the  need  of  his  advice.  Our  elegant  kinsman  seemed 
less  sympathetic  before  the  grave  Abraham.  His  some- 
what frivolous  manner  became  more  offensive  compared 
with  the  conduct  of  the  other  Israelite,  who  was,  at  the 
same  time,  dignified  and  amiable.  The  meeting  of 
these  men — one  of  whom,  a  free  thinker,  had  lost  almost 
all  traces  of  Judaism ;  the  other,  a  biblical  character 
—  was  very  interesting  and  aroused  my  curiosity. 


EDUCATION    OF  JACOB.  ^ 

"  Our  relative,  in  all  the  pride  of  a  man  full  of  his 
own  importance,  was  hardly  polite  to  the  old  man. 
My  mother's  cousin  did  not  abandon  his  cigar,  and 
began  to  laugh  on  regarding  the  Jew's  long  curly  hair, 
iamulka,  the  old-fashioned  costume,  and  gigantic  cane. 

"  It  did  not  take  Abraham  long  to  recognize  in  our 
kinsman  a  type  of  modern  Jew  that  he  had  often  met 
before. 

"  '■  It  is  very  kind  of  you,'  said  he, '  to  take  an  interest 
in  this  unfortunate  family.  Would  to  God  every  one 
would  do  the  same  !  The  book  Nedarin  says  :  "  Hon- 
our the  sons  of  the  poor  who  are  the  brightness  of  our 
religion."  ' 

"'I  wish  to  do  so  truly,'  replied  the  Varsovien  care- 
lessly. ' 1  wish  to  make  of  this  young  relative  a  sound 
and  healthy  branch  of  our  community.  That  is  why 
I  have  proposed  to  send  him  to  school  with  the  other 
children.' 

"  <  You  will  cast  him  in  the  fire  to  see  if  he  is  gold  ? 
If  he  be  gold,  he  will  remain  gold ;  if  he  be  of  base 
metal,  he  will  melt.' 

" '  They  tell  me  he  has  good  faculties.  It  is  necessary 
to  develop  them.' 

"  '  Provided  that  he  does  not  lose  his  faith.  That  is 
why  I  think  that  it  will  not  do  to  remove  him  from 
our  schools  until  he  is  well  grounded  in  his  religion. 
When  the  potter  wishes  to  make  an  impression  on  a 
vase  of  clay,  he  sees  that  the  vase  goes  to  the  studio 
soft  and  plastic.' 

u  '  How  old  is  he  ? '  asked  our  cousin. 


58  THE    JEW. 

"  '  Thirteen  years.' 

"  '  You  have  probably,'  continued  he,  '  a  good 
common  school  here  j  he  must  go  to  it.' 

"  '  Why  not  ? '  replied  Abraham  ;  '  but  the  poor 
child  will  suffer  much.' 

"  •  Who,  then,  has  not  had  trials  ?  You  see  me.  I 
am  worth  to-day  two  millions,  perhaps  more,  and  I 
commenced  by  selling  blacking  and  matches  in  the 
streets.' 

"  The  old  Abraham  murmured  in  a  low  voice  a  text 
from  the  Book  of  Judges  which  said  :  '  One  must  en- 
dure the  sun's  bursting  rays  because  it  is  indispensable 
to  the  world.' 

"  Then  he  put  his  hand  on  my  head  and  blessed 
me,  praying  in  a  low  voice,  reassured  my  mother,  and 
the  conversation  became  general.  Child  as  I  was,  I 
remember  this  scene  very  well.  It  was  shared  by 
many  listeners,  for  the  Jews  had  come  from  all  sides 
to  see  this  great  personage  who  honoured  us  with  a 
visit.  Our  cousin  entered  into  the  development  of 
his  ideas,  which  were  that  the  time  had  come  for  the 
Jews  to  go  out  and  mingle  with  the  world,  and  to  leave 
the  narrow  circle  where  they  had  remained  so  long 
from  an  exaggerated  fear  of  losing  their  faith  and 
nationality. 

"  '  We  have  suffered  long  enough,'  said  he.  *  We 
ought  to  enjoy  ourselves  to-day,  and  occupy  the  place 
which  belongs  to  one  of  the  most  ancient  peoples  of 
the  earth.  We  possess  rapidity  of  conception,  facility 
to  acquire  all  the  sciences  and  arts ;  we  have  money, 


EDUCATION    OF   JACOB.  59 

which  levels  everything,  and  at  the  same  time  we  are 
united,  and  this  cohesion  can  accomplish  great  things. 
Why  then  stagnate  scattered  in  these  little  country 
towns  ?  Why  not  strike  out  ?  See  the  Jews  of  other 
lands.  You  find  them  in  the  ministry,  the  parliament, 
and  in  high  positions.  They  march  to  the  conquest 
of  civil  and  political  rights,  wherever  these  rights  are 
still  refused  them.' 

"  Abraham  listened  without  contradiction,  and  ap- 
peared sad  and  thoughtful;  as  to  our  other  co-relig- 
ionists they  heartily  agreed  with  our  kinsman.  He 
finished  by  citing  as  example  a  celebrated  Jew. 

"  This  was  an  epoch  which  was  not  soon  forgotten 
in  our  little  town.  It  provoked  a  movement  which 
swayed  the  whole  community,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  old  conservatives.  I  remained  at  home  the  rest 
of  that  year,  then  I  entered  the  common  school.  It 
was  the  first  time  that  a  Jew  had  seated  himself  on  a 
bench  beside  Christian  children.  I  knew  beforehand 
what  awaited  me,  but  that  which  I  endured  surpassed 
my  worst  fears. 

"  The  larger  part  of  the  scholars  were  the  children 
of  petty  nobles  or  of  the  bureaucracy,  students  well 
grown.  Their  instincts  were  more  than  cruel.  It 
wasa  veritable  torment,  —  torment  unceasing.  I  grew 
accustomed  to  continual  attacks,  and  passed  in  silence 
the  insults  which  were  showered  on  me.  Jokes  about 
pork  were  met  with,  even  in  the  mouths  of  the  masters ; 
what  could  I  do  but  keep  silence  ?  My  humility  and 
silence  were  a  sort  of  defence.     The  first  days  were 


60  THE    JEW. 

intolerable  ;  but,  little  by  little,  I  became  accustomed 
to  my  comrades,  and  they  to  me.  After  a  while  they 
left  me  in  peace  on  my  solitary  bench.  The  new 
method  of  teaching  was  strange  to  me,  but  awakened  in 
my  mind  a  desire  to  excel.  The  knowledge  that  I 
had  accumulated  increased.  I  resolved  to  continue 
my  studies,  and  to  wait  until  the  strength  of  science 
and  of  the  truth  enlightened  my  mind." 


AQUA    SOLA.  6l 


CHAPTER     IV. 

AQUA   SOLA. 

As  he  finished  his  sentence,  Jacob  perceived  that  it 
was  growing  late.  He  remembered  the  rendezvous 
at  Aqua  Sola. 

"  I  feel,"  said  he,  "  that  you  are  bored.  Excuse 
me,  kind  listener.  It  is  the  only  mode  of  recital  that 
I  understand.  I  cannot  be  brief,  but  must  digress. 
To  render  my  story  intelligible,  it  is  necessary  to  in- 
fuse life  and  colour." 

"  No  excuse  is  necessary,"  replied  Ivas.  "  I  am  in 
no  hurry  to  know  the  end ;  let  us  go  slowly." 

"  Yes,  we  will  finish  it  later  on ;  but  now  it  is  time 
to  go  to  Aqua  Sola." 

The  evening  had  brought  with  it  a  little  freshness. 
Many  had  already  left  old  Genoa  for  the  new  part 
of  the  city.  The  streets  called  Nuova,  Nuovissima, 
Balbi,  and  Aqua  Sola  were  full  of  people.  The  men 
were  dressed  more  or  less  in  costume,  and  the  women 
were  enveloped  in  floating  white  veils  which  only 
partly  concealed  their  graceful  figures. 

The  companions  walked  through  the  dark,  narrow 
streets  until  they  arrived  at  the  hill,  which  is  the  only 
point  of  verdure  in  that  city  of  marble. 

"  I  am   very  curious,"    said  Ivas,  "  to  know  if  we 


62  THE    JEW. 

shall  find  many  of  our  late  companions  at  the  rendez  - 
vous." 

"Well,  we  shall  see  presently,"  said  Jacob.  "  A  day 
is  long,  and  human  nature  changeable."  They  soon 
came  to  the  steps  which  led  to  the  promenade,  in 
whose  centre  murmured  a  fountain,  near  which  a  fine 
band  sent  forth  its  inspiring  strains.  The  crowd  was 
compact :  a  Genoese  crowd  composed  of  soldiers, 
workmen,  and  priests,  of  sunburnt  women,  and  tour- 
ists, among  whom  were  many  English.  Aqua  Sola  is 
not  much  frequented  by  the  aristocracy,  who  shut 
themselves  up  in  their  palaces  or  villas,  nor  by  the 
bourgeoisie,  who  have  their  gardens  at  Nervi.  One, 
therefore,  meets  at  Aqua  Sola  two  classes  only, — 
the  tourists  or  the  regular  habitues. 

Jacob  and  Ivas  strolled  slowly  along  the  principal 
walk,  talking  of  the  country  and  of  the  future  of  hu- 
manity. They  had  not  yet  noticed  the  arrival  of  the 
phlegmatic  German,  who  had  been  distinguished  for 
his  silence  at  the  Albergo  della  Grotto ;  but  he  soon 
approached  them,  and  smilingly  said  :  "  I  am  very 
happy  to  meet  you  again,  messieurs,  and  to  be  able 
to  inquire  for  our  invalid  of  yesterday.  At  the  same 
time,  I  will  excuse  myself  for  not  remaining  long  in 
your  society.  I  have  a  chance  to  hire  a  veturino  at 
half-price  to  Pisa.  I  shall  have  for  a  companion  the 
privy  councillor,  Zuckerbeer.     We  leave  to-day." 

"  What  a  pity  !  "  cried  Jacob  in  German,  not  wish- 
ing to  inflict  the  French  language  on  his  interlocu- 
tor, and  desiring  also  to  escape  torture  himself  from 


AQUA    SOLA.  63 

the  execrable  pronunciation  of  the  ( compatriot  of 
Goethe. 

"  What  a  pity  !  We  should  have  had  such  a  pleas- 
ant time  together  this  evening." 

On  hearing  his  native  language,  the  German 
beamed  on  him  and  smiled  ;  but,  in  spite  of  the  temp- 
tation to  remain,  he  sacrificed  pleasure  to  duty. 
Order  and  economy  were  his  two  predominant  vir- 
tues, and  the  society  of  the  privy  councillor  would  be 
a  consolation. 

"  The  Councillor  von  Zuckerbeer,"  said  he,  "  counts 
on  me.  I  have  given  him  my  word  ;  I  am,  therefore, 
absolutely  obliged  to  go." 

Jacob  no  longer  urged  him.  He  saluted,  and  said 
farewell,  in  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat.  The  German 
said  adieu  to  his  acquaintance  of  the  day  before  with- 
out much  regret.  At  the  bottom  of  his  heart  he 
feared  that  the  Pole  was  a  dangerous  revolutionist,  a 
republican  conspirator,  an  admirer  of  Garibaldi  and 
Mazzini.  If  so,  he  was  wise  to  renounce  in  time  such 
a  compromising  acquaintance. 

He  had  hardly  disappeared  when  the  Tsigane  pre- 
sented himself;  smiling  as  ever,  he  fanned  himself 
with  his  handkerchief;  his  waistcoat  was  unbuttoned, 
but  the  heated  temperature  seemed,  nevertheless,  very 
agreeable  to  him.  He  was  in  good  spirits,  and  his 
expression  was  as  joyful  as  was  possible  to  one  with 
such  features. 

"Well,"  cried  he,  "how  do  you  like  Genoa?  For 
my  part  I  find  too  much  noise,  too  many  asses  bear- 


64  THE    JEW. 

ing  casks,  and  #too  few  men  by  comparison,  and  the 
air  is  full  of  bad  smells.  It  has  the  colour  of  the 
Orient,  but  the  Orient  is  lacking.  I  will  concede  to 
you  that  Genoa  possesses  the  perfumes  of  Constanti- 
nople. Oh  !  my  poor  olfactory  nerves  !  What  tor- 
ture !  Were  we  presented  to  each  other  yesterday? 
I  have  a  bad  memory,  but  you  already  know  that  I 
am  a  Tsigane,  and,  perhaps,  my  race  will  inspire  you 
with  aversion." 

'''You  are  wrong  there,"  said  Jacob,  "  for  I  have  no 
aversion  to  any  race." 

"  My  name  is  Stamlo  Gako,"  said  the  Tsigane. 
"My  father  was  at  the  head  of  his  tribe.  But  I  have 
abandoned  the  collective  wandering  life  for  solitary 
vagabondage.  I  am  thus,  as  you  see,  alone  in  the 
world.  T  would  have  been  still  using  the  same  old 
pans  and  kettles  had  it  not  been  for  my  beautiful  bass 
voice,  which  gained  me  a  place  at  the  theatre.  I 
saved  some  money,  and  invested  it  for  the  first  time  in 
the  lottery.  I  won  a  large  sum  of  money.  Some  of 
this  I  scattered  in  extravagance,  but  I  kept  enough  to 
place  me  above  want  for  the  rest  of  my  life.  It  is 
agreeable  to  me  to  live  in  idleness.  I  go  or  I  stay,  as 
I  choose,  but  my  forehead  is  marked  indelibly.  No 
one  sympathizes  with  me,  and  I  am  indifferent  to  the 
world.  A  stupid  life,  if  you  will ;  but  I  would  not 
change  it  for  any  other,  for  I  am  attached  to  it.  I 
have  no  duties ;  that  is  to  say,  I  am  freed  from  every- 
thing, —  from  all  belief,  all  hope,  and  all  occupation. 
I  weary  myself  comfortably,  and  my  idleness  is  well 


AQUA    SOLA.  6$ 

* 
ordered.  In  winter  I  go  north ;  one  suffers  less  there 
from  the  colds,  on  account  of  the  houses  being  well 
warmed.  I  live  in  hotels,  I  eat  well,  I  make  passing  ac- 
quaintances, I  frequent  the  theatres,  and  in  summer  I 
go  to  Italy  and  sometimes  return  to  my  people  in  Hun- 
gary. There  are  yet  there  some  individuals  of  my  race 
and  of  my  blood,  but  fortunately  I  have  not  a  single 
near  relative  to  persecute  me.  Hungary  is  for  me  a 
sort  of  home.  I  have  learned  to  read,  and  a  book 
with  well-turned  phrases  serves  me  admirably  to  kill 
time,  but  in  general  I  consider  literature  as  useless. 
The  best  books  contain  more  folly  than  reasonable 
thoughts.  All  human  wisdom  can  be  written  on  the 
palm  of  the  hand." 

"  I  am  without  country,  like  you,"  said  Jacob,  who 
had  perceived  that  the  Tsigane  had  drunk  a  little  too 
much,  "  but  I  look  on  life  differently.  I  have  an  aim, 
for  I  have  brothers  among  men.  You,  who  are  better- 
informed  than  other  Tsiganes,  you  can  do  much  for  your 
people  if  you  will.  It  would  be  a  grand  thing  for  you 
to  become  a  reformer  and  benefactor  to  your  people." 

"What  would  you  do  with  the  Tsiganes?"  replied 
Gako  showing  his  white  teeth.  "  We  are  only  a  hand- 
ful of  living  beings  that  God  or  the  devil  has  thrown 
on  the  earth.  What  would  you  do  with  a  cursed  race 
without  ambition  or  place  ?  At  least,  do  not  ask  me 
to  conduct  them  to  the  Ganges,  whence  it  is  said  they 
originally  came.  '  You  shall  perish  ! '  such  is  the 
sentence  against  us.  And  we  are  perishing  slowly. 
We  shall  disappear  in  time.     Look  at  our  women  ! 


66  THE    JEW. 

x 
At  Moscow,  singers  and  dancers,  fortune-tellers  and 
jades,  always  among  the  ragamuffins  and  beggars.  In 
what  language  shall  I  speak  to  them  of  the  future? 
Do  the  brutes  understand  anything?  Like  fruit  that 
falls  from  the  tree,  we  are  a  decayed  people  without 
root." 

"Then  change  your  nationality." 

"Petrify  myself !  never!  We  will  be  Tsiganes  as 
long  as  it  pleases  God.  In  the  night  of  the  ages," 
added  Gako  in  a  mysterious  voice,  "  there  was  a  terri- 
ble crime  which  we  expiate,  some  fratricide  of  which 
we  cannot  wash  our  hands.  I  possess  all  that  can  make 
man  happy  on  this  earth,  yet  I  shall  never  be  happy. 
I  have  counted  the  number  of  days  that  I  have  to  live. 
I  will  submit  to  my  destiny." 

Just  then  the  two  Italians  arrived  —  Alberto  Primate 
and  Luca  Barbaro. 

They  had  a  contented  and  satisfied  look.  They 
breathed  their  native  air  voluptuously,  trod  the  soil  of 
Italy,  and  viewed  with  joy  the  tri-colored  flag  floating 
in  the  breeze. 

Luca  Barbaro  carried  a  sketch-book  in  his  hand, 
Primate,  a  roll  of  music. 

"  Greeting,  brothers,"  said  the  first.  "  How  is  your 
health?  This  delicious  temperature  ought  to  com- 
pletely cure  you.  What  do  you  think  of  good  old 
Genoa?" 

"She  reminds  us  somewhat  of  the  Middle  Ages," 
replied  Jacob. 

"Does  she  not  speak  to  you  of  the  future?"  asked 


AQUA    SOLA.  67 

one  of  the  Italians.  "  Do  you  not  then  feel  that  deli- 
cious breath  of  springtime  which  promises  to  all  na- 
tions a  garland  of  flowers?" 

"Utopist  !  "  interrupted  the  Israelite  sadly.  "The 
springtime  comes  not  at  the  same  time  for  all  lands. 
Men  are  brothers  in  words,  but  not  in  deeds.  Each 
one  is  ready  to  become  a  fratricide  in  self-defence. 
Little  by  little  humanity  will  perhaps  come  out  of  the 
shadows  of  servitude,  of  charlatanism  and  egotism, 
which  stifle  all  generous  tendencies  in  order  to  satisfy 
the  thirst  for  gold  and  grandeur." 

"  Do  not  blaspheme  !  "  cried  Luca.  "  I  believe  in 
humanity.  It  is  possible  that  there  is  a  handful  of  vile 
reactionists  and  a  band  of  miserable  charlatans,  but  in 
general  men  are  the  sons  of  God.  By  music,  painting, 
literature,  and  devotion,  souls  will  open,  all  hearts  will 
be  purified,  intelligence  will  develop,  virtue  will  spread 
abroad,  and  soon  a  luminous  springtime  will  brighten 
the  world." 

"Amen  !  "  cried  Primate  ;  "amen  !  But  I  have  a 
question  to  ask  you.  We  have  come  here  to  rest,  have 
we  not?" 

"  Yes  !  Yes  !  Certainly  !  " 

"Very  well;  for  once  let  us  leave  the  subjects  of 
philosophy  and  politics.  Leave  all  that  to  the  re- 
actionists. Let  us  amuse  ourselves  with  art  and  with 
life." 

Luca  kissed  his  compatriot's  forehead.  "  Poverino  I 
he  is  wearied  by  me,  for  I  have  given  him  no  rest.' 
He  bears  in  his  heart  three  things  only :  woman,  love, 
and  music." 


68  THE    JEW. 

Just  then  the  group  was  augmented  by  the  Dane. 

"Plague  take  it!"  said  he ;  "if  I  had  known  that 
la  belle  dame  would  not  be  here,  I  would  not  have 
tired  myself  out  to  join  you.  I  had  a  great  desire  to 
go  to  the  theatre ;  primitive  and  barbarous  as  it  is, 
I  might  have  passed  an  agreeable  evening  there.  I 
have  been  drawn  to  Aqua  Sola  by  the  remembrance 
of  two  lovely  eyes,  a  little  faded,  perhaps,  but  full  of 
expression.  If  she  had  been  coming  she  would  be 
here  by  this  time.     I  have  been  deceived." 

"You  have  yet  time  to  go  to  the  theatre,"  said  the 
Tsigane  indifferently,  as  he  lit  his  cigar. 

"  Very  true  !  But  if,  by  chance,  she  should  come. 
She,  the  unknown.     She?    Who  is  she?  " 

"  A  retired  artiste  singing  only  occasionally,  as  she 
has  told  us  herself,"  replied  the  Tsigane  ;  "  a  priestess 
of  Thalia.     I  doubt  if  she  is  a  Vestal.     Hum  !  " 

"Widow,"  added  Luca. 

"  A  widow  !  The  title  is  appropriate.  But  she  is 
escorted  by  two  admirers,"  said  the  Dane  :  a  Russian 
and  a  Pole.  Who  are  they?  Are  they  rich  or  poor? 
How  long  has  she  known  them?     Chi  lo  sa?" 

"  Chi  lo  sa  ?  "  repeated  Primate. 

And  Barbaro  added :  "  We  know  that  the  Russian 
is  a  refugee.  If,  in  leaving  his  country,  he  has  brought 
his  purse  with  him  he  is  a  dangerous  rival,  for  the 
Russians  are  said  to  be  fabulously  rich.  It  is  said 
that  each  noble  receives  from  the  Czar  his  share  of 
the  gold  mines  of  the  Ural  Mountains.  But  if  in 
saving  his  head  he  has  not  saved  his  purse,  and  if  he 


AQUA    SOLA.  69 

has  no  private  resources,  he  becomes  much  less 
vulnerable.  As  for  the  young  Galician,  he  has  his 
youth,  which  is  a  capital.  But  you,  messieurs,  as 
Poles,  can  better  judge  of  the  worth  of  your  com- 
patriot." 

"The  Galician  nobles,"  said  Ivas,  "ordinarily  bear 
the  title,  more  or  less  authentic,  of  Count.  Many  of 
them  have  been  rich,  but  since  1848  they  frequently 
give  themselves  an  appearance  of  riches.  I  do  not 
believe  that  the  young  man  is  a  dangerous  rival." 

"  Behold  her  !  Behold  her  !  "  cried  the  Dane  sud- 
denly, perceiving  the  brunette  at  the  end  of  the  street, 
looking  more  attractive  to-day  than  yesterday.  "  What 
do  I  see  ?  She  is  alone  with  the  Russian  !  A  bad 
sign  !  The  Galician  was  evidently  in  the  way.  The 
plot  thickens  !  Yesterday  when  there  were  two  gal- 
lants there  was  room  for  a  third ;  but  when  there  is 
only  one  it  is  difficult  for  another  to  get  a  foothold." 

"  He  is  very  wise  in  the  art  of  loving,"  remarked 
the  Tsigane. 

The  charming  Lucie  Coloni  approached.  She  was, 
in  reality,  in  the  full  height  of  her  beauty,  and  she  had 
had  time  to  augment  her  many  attractions  by  the 
toilet.  Her  eyes  were  humid  without  having  wept, 
and  a  sweet  smile  played  on  her  lips.  The  Russian 
accompanied  her,  appearing  melancholy  in  contrast 
with  her  gayety.  She  went  up  to  Ivas,  and  held  out  a 
little  hand,  elegantly  gloved,  asking  with  much  solici- 
tude, "Va  bene?" 

"  Thanks,  madame.     No  trace  of  yesterday's  illness. 


70  THE    JEW. 

The  scar  which  remains  on  my  temple  will  be  for  me 
an  indelible  souvenir  of  your  goodness." 

"  Flatterer ! "  replied  she,  shrugging  her  shoul- 
ders. 

The  Russian  affected  an  exaggerated  politeness  to 
show  his  ease  of  manner. 

"We  are  not  complete,"  said  he. 

"One  is  lacking,"  replied  Jacob.  "  We  shot£  see 
him  no  more.  It  is  the  German.  He  has  found  a 
cheap  way  of  going  to  Pisa  with  a  privy  councillor, 
and  he  has  profited  by  it.  One  does  not  travel  every 
day  with  dignitaries,  lately  granted  a  von  who  knows 
for  what  secret  service?  This  von,  fresh  and  new, 
comes  out  of  the  bandbox  with  the  perfume  of  a  half- 
blown  rose.  But  you  also,  madame,  you  have  lost 
one  of  your  companions." 

"Yes,  the  count.  He  was  obliged  to  leave  this 
afternoon  for  Spezia." 

"  Yesterday  he  did  not  speak  of  this  project,"  said 
the  Dane. 

The  Russian  seemed  to  be  looking  at  the  sea,  a 
little  of  which  was  visible  from  where  they  stood. 
The  lady  bit  her  lips  to  avoid  laughing,  fanned  herself 
negligently,  and  said  :  — 

"  I  really  do  not  know  what  has  taken  him.  He 
was  perhaps  frightened  by  his  compatriots.  It  is  for 
you,  messieurs,  to  clear  this  mystery." 

"  What  country  is  this  Galicia?  The  youth  assured 
me  that  he  was  neither  Polish  nor  Austrian,  but  a 
Galician." 


AQUA    SOLA.  ji 

Ivas  and  Jacob  exchanged  a  smile,  without  replying. 

"We  will  not  wear  mourning  for  him  !  "   cried  Ivas. 

"  I  regret  him,  however,"  replied  Lucie.  "  He  would 
have  become  a  very  agreeable  man,  but  as  yet  he  re- 
sembles those  Italian  nuts  shut  up  in  a  bitter  shell." 

They  all  laughed. 

"Aqua  Sola  !  How  sweet  the  words  sound  !  "  con- 
tinued she,  walking  at  the  head  of  the  procession. 
"  But  how  little  it  is,  shabby,  and  even  tiresome.  What 
trees,  what  drops  of  water,  a  disagreeable  crowd, 
plenty  of  dust,  and  only  in  the  distance  a  glimpse  of 
the  sea  !    Povera  Genova  !  " 

"And  yet,"  observed  the  Muscovite,  "what  mar- 
vels were  promised  us." 

The  cosmopolite  Dane  profited  by  an  opportunity 
to  place  himself  beside  the  lady.  This  was  too  signifi- 
cant, and  she  gave  him  a  haughty  look  which  he  did 
not  perceive.  This  look  seemed  to  say  :  "  No  use. 
No  hope  for  you  !  " 

Lucie  occupied  herself  more  with  Ivas  than  the  rest 
of  the  company.  In  a  sweet  voice  she  asked  :  "  You 
go  to  Poland?"' 

"  Yes,  madame,"  replied  he  smiling. 

"  I  am  very  superstitious,"  said  she  ;  "  and  as  I  also 
go  to  Poland,  I  consider  it  a  good  omen  to  have 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  Pole  on  my  way." 

"  Poland,  madame,  is  to-day  an  abstraction.  There 
is  no  Poland,  and  yet  there  are  several :  Russian  Po- 
land, the  Kingdom  of  Poland  raised  up  by  the  Congress 
of  Vienna,  Prussian  Poland,  and  Austrian  Poland." 


72  THE    JEW. 

"  I  really  do  not  know  to  which  Poland  I  am  going. 
Tell  me,  where  is  Warsaw?" 

"It  is,  in  a  way,  my  native  city.  One  of  the 
ancient  capitals  of  Poland,  and  the  last ;  to-day  the 
capital  of  that  ideal  Poland  which  is  yet  to  be  es- 
tablished." 

"  I  lose  myself  in  all  this  geography  !  Do  you 
also  go  to  Warsaw?" 

"Yes,  madame.  But  I  do  not  know  wnether  I 
shall  arrive  there,  and  whether,  on  arriving,  I  shall  not 
be  sent  much  farther  toward  the  Asiatic  steppes." 

"  You  are  very  unfortunate,  you  Poles." 

"  Our  misfortunes  pass  all  conception.  But  do  not 
let  us  speak  of  it.  How  is  it,  madame,  that  you  go  to 
Warsaw?  " 

"  From  curiosity  only,"  replied  she,  lowering  her 
eyes.  "  It  is  possible  also  that  I  may  sing  in  some 
theatre." 

"  Oh  !  You  are  sure  to  be  admirably  received. 
Colonel  Nauke  is  very  fond  of  Italian  music,  and 
as  soon  as  he  knows  " — 

"You  will  introduce  me  to  him?  " 

"  I,  madame,  it  is  impossible  !  I  shall  be  obliged 
to  conceal  myself.  To  be  seen  would  be  for  me 
death  or  exile." 

"  If  I  could  at  least  meet  you  there  !  " 

Ivas  sadly  shook  his  head.  The  Dane,  very  at- 
tentive to  the  conversation,  concluded  that  she  in- 
tended to  leave  the  Russian,  who,  of  course,  as  he  was 
a  refugee,  could  not  return  to  the  land  of  the  Czars. 


AQUA    SOLA.  73 

This  idea  did  honour  to  his  acquaintance  with  po- 
litical geography,  of  which  nearly  all  European  jour- 
nalists are  absolutely  ignorant. 

"  And  you  go  alone  ?  "  asked  he. 

"  No,  not  alone.  But,  monsieur,  you  annoy  me 
with  your  questions.  Really  I  do  not  know  yet  what 
I  shall  do,  and  I  do  not  like  to  speak  of  the  future. 
That  will  be  accomplished  in  one  way  or  another. 
Chi  lo  sa  ?  " 

"  I  am  ready  to  follow  you  to  the  end  of  the 
world  !  "  cried  her  cosmopolite  adorer  enthusiastically. 

"You  are  jesting,  monsieur,  and  I  do  not  like  jests 
of  this  kind.  In  any  case,  I  do  not  count  on  you  as  a 
companion." 

"What  a  pity  that  she  is  so  savage  !  "  said  her  ad- 
mirer to  himself. 

The  Russian  listened  passively,  without  mingling 
in  the  conversation. 

"  I  am  very  curious  to  visit  Poland  and  Russia," 
said  Lucie  Coloni.  They  say  that  the  Poles  and 
Russians  understand  and  love  music,  that  they  are  en- 
thusiastic dilettanti." 

"  There  have  been  such  instances  in  Poland,"  said 
Jacob.  "  In  regard  to  Russia  I  know  nothing.  But 
monsieur  can  tell  us  that  in  his  country  they  love  art 
less  than  the  artistes.  In  Poland  there  is  now  room 
only  for  a  single  sentiment.  The  future  has  but  one 
aim.  Do  the  witches  of  Shakespeare  watch  at  the  dark 
cross-roads,  or  will  the  angels  lend  their  aid?  God 
alone  knows.     From  Warta  to  the  frozen  sea  the  earth 


74  THE    JE IV. 

is  in  travail,  hearts  beat  with  violence,  the  battle  is 
preparing,  there  will  be  something  frightful  which  will 
shake  the  very  foundations  of  the  earth.  What  song, 
sweet  though  it  be,  can  be  heard  by  ears  which  await 
a  signal  which  will  sound  like  a  thunderclap?  " 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Lucie,  "I  shall  have  the  happiness 
of  singing  your  song  of  triumph." 

"  Or  a  death  hymn,"  added  Jacob  sadly. 

"Or  rather  a  song  intermezzo  which  makes  one 
forget  the  tragedy  of  life,"  replied  la  Coloni.  "  I 
grant  to  you  that  this  Europe,  cold,  dull,  dead,  worn 
out,  blase,  has  for  me  the  effect  of  a  withered  bouquet 
picked  up  out  of  the  dust.  It  has  no  longer  a  spark 
of  vitality." 

"Behold  a  sally  that  astonishes  me,  coming  from 
you,"  cried  the  Dane.  "Europe  when  she  was  young 
was  frolicsome ;  maturity  has  arrived,  but  has  not 
taken  away  all  her  charms.  To-day  children  are  born 
reasonable.  The  young  man  of  nineteen  has  a 
drunkard's  pride  to  drain  the  enormous  cup  to  the 
bottom.  More  barriers  on  life's  grand  highway  ! 
More  toll-money  !  Go  where  you  will,  paths  open 
before  you.  More  proscriptions,  more  laws,  more 
prejudices,  binding  us.  Fresh  surprises !  Every- 
thing is  possible." 

"And  nothing  is  worth  much;  nothing-  is  good," 
added  Lucie. 

"  Madame,"  cried  the  Italian  musician,  "  before 
continuing  your  invective,  deign  to  hear  me," 

"  Very  willingly,  monsieur," 


AQUA    SOLA.  75 

"  Will  you  then  be  seated  ?  My  companion  and  I 
are  children  of  two  parts  of  Italy  which  have  not  yet 
united  with  their  common  mother.  We  seek  a  little 
relaxation  after  a  long  servitude.  Very  well.  We 
cannot  take  a  step  without  being  persecuted  by 
politics,  political  economy,  or  philosophy.  Have  pity 
on  us,  and  speak  of  other  things." 

"Spoiled  child  of  Italy,"  said  the  Dane,  "your 
prayer  cannot  be  granted.  Our  age  takes  her  nour- 
ishment where  it  is  found.  It  is  useless  to  try  to 
hinder  me." 

"  Cannot  we  discuss  music?  " 

"  Music  !  She  has  followed  the  general  route,  and 
the  music  of  the  future,  with  her  prophet,  Wagner,  is 
political  music." 

"  Granted.     And  the  other  arts?  " 

"They  cannot  be  separated  from  philosophy  and 
history." 

"  Then  let  us  speak  of  frivolities,  of  the  times,  of 
the  weather,  of  the  city  we  are  visiting ;  remember  I 
am  young,  and  an  artist." 

"  There  are  no  more  young  hearts,"  said  Jacob. 

"  What  remains  then  for  those  who  thirst  for  life?  " 

"  Nothing,"  replied  the  Dane  quickly,  in  a  serious 
tone  j  "  only  to  drink." 

"And  afterward?  " 

"  Afterward  ?  That  depends  on  the  temperament ; 
to  sleep  or  "  — 

During  this  conversation,  the  evening  breeze  brought 
from  a  neighbouring  house  the  sound  of  sweet  music, 


76  THE    JEW. 

now  gay,  now  sad.  They  all  listened.  It  was  not 
Italian  music.  A  young  and  sympathetic  voice  sang, 
accompanied  by  the  piano.  The  song  was  of  pro- 
found sadness,  rendered  with  good  expression  and 
method. 

The  Italian  instantly  recognized  an  inspiration  of 
Mendelssohn.  He  took  off  his  hat,  and  listened  with 
an  expression  of  pleasure.  He  took  a  few  steps,  and, 
with  a  sign,  demanded  silence. 

In  contrast  to  the  light  songs  of  Italy,  full  of 
harmony,  this  song  was  full  of  grave  majesty.  For 
the  Italian  who  had  not  heard  much  German  music  it 
was  a  revelation. 

The  mysterious  chords,  coming  from  an  unknown 
window,  from  an  invisible  mouth,  had  a  fascinating 
charm  and  a  melodious  sadness,  which  made  a  lively 
impression.  The  woman's  voice  came  from  a  house 
near  the  Academy  of  Medicine,  and  was  carried  to  our 
hearers  by  the  indiscreet  breeze. 

"It  is  fine,"  said  the  Dane,  "but  it  is  somewhat 
like  the  music  of  the  future." 

"  Be  silent,  then,  monsieur,"  said  Lucie  severely. 
"  It  is  wonderful." 

At  that  moment  the  song  gradually  grew  fainter,  and 
finally  died  away.  The  accompaniment  ceased  also 
with  a  few  majestic  chords. 

They  all  drew  near  the  house  whence  came  the 
melody,  and  in  the  general  preoccupation  no  one  ob- 
served that  Jacob  grew  pale,  and  seemed  to  recognize 
the  voice.     He  pressed  his  hand  against  his  side  as  if 


AQUA    SOLA.  77 

in  pain.  His  emotion  was  almost  terrifying,  and  his 
features  had  changed  so  as  to  be  hardly  recognizable. 

Ivas  perceived  his  friend's  emotion. 

"  What  is  the  matter?  "  asked  he  anxiously.  "  Has 
the  music  impressed  you  thus?  " 

The  Jew,  distrait  and  silent,  thanked  him  for  his 
solicitude,  and  motioned  for  him  to  be  silent. 

"  Listen ;  perhaps  she  will  sing  again,"  said  Lucie. 

They  were  silent,  but  in  vain. 

After  long  waiting  the  door  opened,  and  there  came 
out  of  the  house  a  young  and  elegant  woman  ac- 
companied by  a  distinguished-looking  man,  whose 
features  were  of  the  Oriental  type. 

They  attracted  at  once  the  attention  of  the  prome- 
naders.  The  woman  was  about  twenty  years  old  ;  her 
features  were  delicate.  She  was  a  pale  brunette, 
with  black  eyes  full  of  languor,  and  she  bore  on  her 
face  an  expression  so  noble  and  so  sad  that  one 
thought  she  was  an  angel  of  death.  Her  calmness 
apparently  covered  some  bitter  chagrin  and  a  profound 
melancholy.  Her  dress  was  sombre  and  bore  out 
the  grave  character  of  her  features,  maintaining  with- 
out heightening  her  beauty. 

Her  companion,  in  spite  of  his  elegant  appearance 
and  gentlemanlike  bearing,  had,  on  close  inspection, 
something  pretentious  about  him.  He  played  with 
too  much  affectation  the  role  of  fine  gentleman  to  be 
real.  In  every  line  of  his  face  could  be  seen  pride 
and  vanity,  without  human  sentiment.  His  mobile 
eyes,  his  sensual  lips,  his  strong  physique,  betokened 
exuberant  passions. 


78  THE    JEW. 

Everything  about  him  disclosed  instincts,  but  not 
heart.  In  spite  of  his  politeness,  this  man,  cold, 
distingue  at  first,  inspired  a  certain  terror.  One  easily 
divined  that  in  his  heart  there  was  no  pity,  and  that 
he  had  made  of  his  egotism  a  systematic  rule  of  con- 
duct from  which  nothing  could  make  him  deviate. 
A  beggar  meeting  him  alone  would  never  dare  to 
ask  alms.  He  would  hazard  it  only  before  witnesses. 
In  spite  of  his  courteous  manner  toward  the  lady, 
who  was  evidently  his  wife,  there  appeared  to  be  a 
sort  of  weariness  and  constraint  between  them.  He 
seemed  to  drag  her  along  with  him  like  a  victim. 
Without  looking  around  her,  she  walked  (if  I  may  say 
so)  automatically,  while  her  husband  did  not  even  try 
to  conceal  his  indifference. 

Our  group  knew  immediately  that  this  was  the  mys- 
terious singer.  Jacob,  absorbed  in  himself,  did  not 
perceive  that  he  was  in  their  path ;  his  haggard  eyes 
were  fixed  on  the  woman,  who  had  not  yet  noticed 
him.  The  husband  did  not  see  Jacob  either,  until 
he  was  near  him.  Then  he  frowned  and  bit  his  lips  j 
but  this  expression  was  followed  by  a  forced  smile 
and  a  polite  bow.  The  woman  mechanically  raised 
her  head,  recoiled,  and  gave  a  cry  of  surprise.  Her 
voice  recalled  Jacob  to  himself.  He  took  off  his  hat 
and  bowed,  standing  aside  to  let  them  pass. 

"What  an  astonishing  meeting  !  "  said  the  stranger, 
giving  his  hand  without  cordiality. 

The  woman  had  become  calm,  and  added,  with  a 
sad  smile,  in  a  trembling  voice  :  "  It  is  true ;  the 
meeting  is  unexpected  !  " 


AQUA    SOLA.  79 

"Very  unexpected,  and  very  happy  for  me,"  re- 
plied Jacob  with  emotion.  "After  a  long  absence, 
I  am  about  to  return  to  Poland.  I  desired  to  visit  a 
part  of  Italy  which  has  been  so  extolled.  Chance 
has  kept  me  in  Genoa  with  other  travellers.  Your 
divine  voice  fixed  us  under  your  windows,  for  there 
is  not  another  like  it  in  the  world." 

The  husband  listened  with  indifference  to  this  com- 
pliment.    The  wife  blushed,  and  did  not  reply. 

"  But  what  are  you  doing  at  Genoa?  "  said  Jacob. 

"We  go  here  and  there,"  replied  the  husband. 
"  Dr.  Lebrun  has  prescribed  a  warm  climate  for 
Mathilde,  for  she  has  an  obstinate  little  cough.  That 
is  why  we  are  here  in  this  bracing  atmosphere." 

"  And  how  do  you  like  Italy?" 

"  She  impresses  me,"  said  the  woman,  "  as  a  mirage 
of  that  Orient  which  I  have  never  seen,  and  for  which 
I  long  and  dream  as  for  one's  native  land.  Italy  is 
very  beautiful !  " 

During  this  conversation  the  Jew  noticed  that  he 
was  the  object  of  his  companions'  curiosity.  He 
hesitated  to  make  his  adieux,  and  separate  himself 
from  them.  The  husband,  always  polite,  relieved 
him  from  this  embarrassment. 

"Will  you  not  come  with  us?"  asked  he,  politely. 

"  Willingly,  but  permit  me  to  take  leave  of  my  com- 
panions." 

He  called  Ivas  and  charged  him  to  make  his  excuses 
to  the  company,  at  the  same  time  begging  him  to  wait 
for  him ;  then  went  away  with  his  acquaintances. 


So  THE    JEW. 

"Ah!"  cried  the  Italian  on  learning  from  Ivas 
that  he  had  been  requested  to  wait  for  his  friend,  "  I 
also  am  willing  to  wait  a  long  time  to  find  out  who 
this  lady  is.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  this  marvellous 
singer  again.  Where  are  you  staying  ?  "  said  she  to  the 
Pole. 

"At  the  Hotel  Feder." 

"That  is  fortunate.  You  are  very  near  me.  I  am 
at  the  Hotel  de  France.  Wait  for  your  companion,  and 
bring  him  to  me,  willingly  or  by  force,  to  drink  tea. 
I  will  not  fix  the  hour,  for  so  active  is  my  curiosity 
about  this  woman  that  I  cannot  sleep  until  I  have  seen 
you." 

She  turned  to  the  rest  of  the  company.  "  Mes- 
sieurs," said  she,  "  will  you  also  accept  my  invitation? " 

They  all  bowed  their  acceptance,  and  Lucie  took 
the  Russian's  arm,  with  whom  she  departed,  chatting 
vivaciously. 

Ivas  remained  with  the  Italians.  The  Dane  and  the 
Tsigane  went  away  together. 

"  I  perceive,"  said  Lucie  to  her  cavalier,  "  that  this 
unexpected  meeting  betokens  a  mysterious  romance. 
Did  you  see  how  he  looked  at  her  ?  Did  you  hear  the 
cry  she  gave?  The  husband  and  the  lover,  that  is 
certain.  How  I  wish  I  knew  their  history  !  Will  he 
consent  to  tell  us  ?  Provided  he  comes,.  I  know  well 
how  to  lead  him  on." 

"  Why  should  their  story  interest  us?  " 

"  Because  it  will  be  more  curious  than  the  books 
you  read.     I  love  reality  better  than  fiction." 


A    SIMPLE   HISTORY    OF  LOVE.  8 1 


CHAPTER    V. 

A   SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF    LOVE. 

Ivas,  abandoned,  seated  himself  alone  on  a  bench, 
his  head  bowed.  The  sight  of  the  men  and  women 
around  him  who  had  leisure  to  occupy  themselves  with 
sentiments  of  love,  and  their  conversation,  made  a  sad 
impression. 

Hunger,  misery,  political  passions,  consumed  him. 
He  thought  of  his  country  and  its  future.  He  sought 
a  remedy  for  his  unhappiness  and  the  sorrows  of  his 
countrymen.  What  mattered  to  him  the  sweet  words 
of  women,  their  tender  glances,  their  whispered  prom- 
ises ;  women  for  him  did  not  exist  before  the  vision  of 
his  misery  and  his  despair.  An  inexpressible  sadness 
tortured  him.  Was  he  not  going  to  risk  his  life  in 
order  to  breathe  his  native  air? 

His  melancholy  thoughts  were  rocked  by  the  sea 
breeze  when  some  one  clapped  him  on  the  shoulder. 
It  was  Jacob. 

"  Let  us  return,"  said  he  with  vivacity. 

"  I  am  at  your  service,  but  first  let  me  tell  you  that 
we  are  invited  to  take  tea  with  the  Italian  lady  at  her 
hotel.' ' 

"  No  !  I  will  not  go  !  I  need  solitude.  Have  you 
accepted?  " 


82  THE    JEW. 

"  Certainly,  for  I  do  not  enjoy  being  alone  with  my 
thoughts.  And  I  believe,  dear  friend  of  forty-eight 
hours,  that  it  will  do  you  good  to  go  also.  We  have 
not  known  each  other  long,  but  permit  me  to  suggest 
that  there  are  things  that  one  had  better  bury  in  the 
bottom  of  the  heart.  Come,  Coloni  is  very  curious. 
If  we  do  not  go  she  is  capable  of  coming  after  us. 
That  would  be  worse  still." 

"  It  is  true  that  we  are  recommended  to  cure  old 
wounds  by  distraction.  Come,  then,  we  will  forget 
ourselves  in  a  foolish  and  gay  society." 

"You  speak  of  old  wounds.     Then  this  lady"  — 

"  Do  not  speak  of  her.  Are  there  not  other  per- 
sons, other  faces  and  names,  which  awaken  old  mem- 
ories? You  had  better  speak  of  man  rather  than  of 
woman.  This  one  is  an  unfortunate  who  slowly 
works  out  her  destiny." 

"  Let  us  go,  then  !  " 

"  Let  us  go  !     I  will  be  gay  in  spite  of"  — 

"Of  what?" 

"  In  spite  of  mournful  remembrances." 

They  turned  and  walked  rapidly  along  the  dark 
streets  which  conducted  them  to  the  shore.  Here 
were  built  two  hotels.  In  the  morning  this  part  of 
the  city  was  very  busy  on  account  of  the  bourse,  but 
all  was  silent  and  deserted  at  this  hour  of  the  evening. 

They  entered  the  Hotel  de  France. 

On  the  first  floor  Lucie  reigned  in  a  little  sa/on, 
fresh  and  elegant.  Here  they  found  all  the  rest  of 
the  company.     Seated  in  the  balcony,  the   Russian 


A    SIMPLE   HISTORY   OF  LOVE. 


83 


smoked  in  silence.  It  was  easy  to  be  seen  that  this 
impromptu  tea  was  not  pleasing  to  him,  for  he  shut 
himself  up  in  complete  reserve  without  joining  in  the 
conversation. 

The  Tsigane,  installed  comfortably  on  the  sofa, 
looked  around  him  with  supreme  indifference.  The 
Dane  paid  special  attention  to  his  hostess,  and  the 
Italians  were  in  gay  spirits.  When  the  door  opened 
and  Jacob  appeared,  Madame  Coloni  went  hastily  to 
meet  him. 

"Grazie  tante  /  Grazie  tante  !  "  cried  she.  "You 
are  so  kind  to  have  come.  It  is  a  sacrifice  for  which 
I  thank  you." 

"  How  can  it  be  called  a  sacrifice  to  pass  the  even- 
ing in  your  charming  society,  and  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  looking  at  you,"  said  Jacob. 

"Unworthy  flatterer!"  replied  she,  striking  him 
softly  on  his  hand.  "  No  more  compliments.  You 
mock  me  !  Seat  yourself,  sir,  and  tell  me  quickly 
who  is  our  singer.  Who  is  this  beautiful  lady  with 
accents  so  sad  that  on  hearing  her  we  have  tears  in 
our  eyes  ?  Why  was  she  so  agitated  on  seeing  you  ? 
Why  did  you  grow  so  pale?  " 

Jacob  had  great  control  over  himself.  He  laughed 
so  naturally  that  he  deceived  his  fair  questioner,  who 
began  to  lose  the  hope  of  hearing  a  romantic  history. 

"You  have  truly  a  vivid  imagination!"  said  he. 
"You  have  already  composed  a  sad  song.  You 
have  invested  me  with  the  sufferings  of  the  hero  of 
your  romance  ;  but  I  am  no  hero,  I  assure  you.     The 


84  THE    JEW. 

lady  is  a  countrywoman  of  mine  and  a  co-religionist. 
She  and  her  husband  are  Jews  and  live  in  Warsaw. 
Our  acquaintance  is  then  very  natural.  Behold  the 
truth  in  simple  prose." 

The  Italian  tapped  her  foot  impatiently.  "This 
truth  seems  a  little  false,"  said  she.  "  I  observed  you 
closely  when  you  first  met  her." 

Jacob  made  an  effort  to  smile. 

"The  real  truth  is  that  I  might  well  have  been 
grieved  and  astonished,  for  I  know  the  sad  history  of 
this  woman." 

"  Ah  !  there  is,  then,  as  I  thought,  a  sad  story?  " 

"Yes,  but  I  did  not  figure  in  it." 

Lucie  looked  at  him  fixedly,  but  he  returned  her 
glance  without  emotion. 

"Oh  !  pray,  monsieur,"  demanded  she  in  a  caress- 
ing voice,  "  relate  to  me  this  story.  I  am  dying  to 
hear  it." 

"  I  warn  you,  madame,  that  it  is  not  remarkable, 
and  as  it  is  the  story  of  a  Jewess  it  will  be  less  inter- 
esting to  you  than  to  me.  I  am  afraid  I  shall  weary 
you.     I  am  a  bad  story-teller,  long  and  tiresome." 

"You  take  a  long  time  to  tell  a  story  !  So  much 
the  better,  we  have  plenty  of  time  to  listen.  But  do 
not  torment  me.     Begin." 

"  Permit  me,  madame,  to  collect  my  thoughts  for  a 
moment." 

"  If,"  said  the  Dane,  "  the  story  is  as  long  as  mon- 
sieur promises  us,  and  there  is  in  the  story  a  senti- 
mental woman  encumbered  with  a  beast  of  a  husband 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF  LOVE.  85 

and  a  noble  lover,  I  will  excuse  myself  from  listening. 
I  can  guess  it  all  in  advance." 

"  I  also,"  said  the  Tsigane.  "  It  is  always  the  same 
thing." 

"Where  can  true  love  be  found  to-day?  "  cried  the 
Dane. 

Lucie  protested  against  this  atrocious  blasphemy, 
but  the  Tsigane  replied  imperturbably  :  — 

"You  will  grant  that  the  times  of  chivalrous  love 
have  vanished.  Only  the  turtle-doves  are  innocent 
enough  to  sigh  still.  Formerly,  as  we  are  told,  human- 
ity passed  through  a  long  epoch  of  exalted  love.  To- 
day men  have  almost  abandoned  these  ways.  A 
hundred  years  from  now  they  will  laugh  at  such  love- 
stories  and  wonder  how  it  could  have  been.  I  speak 
of  such  loves  as  those  of  Leander  and  Hero,  not  that 
of  Calypso  for  young  and  handsome  warriors,  nor  of 
the  love  of  Nero  for  Poppea.  That  kind  of  love  lasts 
because  it  is  natural.  But  love  which  is  torture,  which 
suffers  for  some  ideal  beauty,  it  is  an  old,  stereotyped 
plate,  out  of  fashion.  Show  me  to-day  some  one  who 
loves  in  this  way  or  who  would  be  disposed  to  make 
serious  sacrifices  for  love.  The  young  girls  marry  be- 
cause the  husband  suits  the  father  and  mother.  The 
men  marry  for  settlements,  or  for  charms  more  or  less 
fascinating.  They  do  not  marry  at  all  for  love,  — 
that  fantasy  has  gone  out  of  fashion." 

"  Why,"  said  Lucie  indignantly,  "  you  cannot  main- 
tain such  ridiculous  assertions." 

"I  can  prove  them  by  facts.     Look  around   you. 


86  THE    JEW. 

Everywhere  caprice,  passion,  love  of  excitement,  etc., 
but  true  love  nowhere." 

Lucie  sighed. 

"  Is  this  progress  or  decadence?  "  asked  she. 

"  I  know  not.  It  is  sad  for  you  beautiful  women 
to  descend  from  the  pedestal  on  which  you  were  ele- 
vated, but  how  can  you  refuse  the  evidence  of  things?  " 

"Is  it  so  evident?" 

"  Alas  !  I  do  not  wish  to  impose  my  opinion  on 
you,  but  reflect  seriously.  Where  can  you  find  as 
formerly  two  souls  created  for  each  other?  " 

"What  you  say,"  interrupted  Jacob,  "is  true  up  to 
a  certain  point.  But  I  hope  the  world  has  only  tem- 
porarily renounced  this  poetry.  If  all  ideality  should 
disappear  it  would  be  a  sad  thing.  I  will  add  a 
commentary  to  your  remarks,  Monsieur  Gako.  Men 
do  not  love  themselves  as  much  as  they  used.  That 
is  why  existence  is  in  some  sort  lessened,  and  the 
number  of  suicides  from  weariness  of  life  is  daily 
augmented." 

Madame  Coloni  clapped  her  hands  and  reminded 
Jacob  of  his  promise  to  relate  a  history. 

The  Tsigane  yawned.  The  Russian  lighted  a  fresh 
cigarette,  the  Dane  went  out,  and  when  it  was  silent 
the  Jew  commenced  in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  In  all  the  legislation  of  the  world  the  most  badly 
understood  and  the  most  badly  judged  is  perhaps 
that  of  Moses.  It  belongs  to  me  to  defend  it  in  my 
character  of  Jew.  Our  law  is  the  fundamental  base 
of  yours.  Do  not  forget  that  Jesus  said  that  he  came 
not  to  destroy  the  law,  but  to  complete  it. 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF   LOVE.  87 

"  It  is  generally  supposed  that  the  Hebrew  women 
were  debased  to  the  level  of  slaves.  Nothing  of  the 
kind.  Customs  were  sometimes  swerved  from  the 
law,  influenced  as  they  were  by  the  barbarity  of 
the  times,  but  it  is  not  the  law  which  abases  woman. 

"  In  the  Jewish  language  she  is  called  Ischa,  the 
feminine  of  Isch,  which  means  'man.'  This  name 
alone  indicates  the  perfect  equality  of  the  sexes. 
Deuteronomy  xxi.  10-15  commends  us  to  respect 
even  the  captives.  Polygamy,  exceptionally  practised 
by  the  kings,  is  forbidden  in  a  formal  manner.  The 
Bible  reveals  to  us  in  more  than  one  page  the  dis- 
astrous effects  of  this  immorai  custom.  On  a  level 
with  man,  Isch,  woman,  Ischa,  it  is  true,  was  not  priest, 
but  she  was  permitted  to  bear  the  offerings  to  the  altar. 
No  legislation  of  antiquity  or  even  of  later  epochs  can 
show  us  woman  better  treated  or  more  respected  than 
with  the  Jews.  The  mothers  of  the  Maccabees  and 
of  Judith  prove  the  importance  of  that  role. 

"  A  young  girl  of  twelve  years,  Ketannah,  could  be 
promised  in  marriage  by  her  father,  but,  above  that 
age,  become  Nairah,  she  could  marry  to  please 
herself. 

"  Pagan  and  barbarous  usages,  nevertheless,  pene- 
trated even  among  us  at  the  epoch  of  the  Kings.  The 
sexes  were  more  strictly .  separated.  Sometimes,  for 
example,  the  Jews  cloistered  the  women  in  a  harem, 
or,  if  they  were  poor,  compelled  them  to  do  manual 
labour.  There  rests  this  stain  against  us,  contrary  to 
the  true  spirit  of  the  Mosaic  law. 


88  THE    JEW. 

"  Pardon  this  digression,  too  grave,  perhaps,  for  a 
love  idyl  between  a  man  and  woman.  But  you  will 
see  later  on  that  it  was  necessary." 

"  I  believe  that  your  story  will  contain  at  least  two 
men,"  said  Lucie  lightly. 

"  It  suffices  me  to  put  only  one  in  strong  relief, 
although  two  or  three  men  will  find  a  place  in  this 
history,  this  idyl,  or,  if  you  prefer,  this  drama.  With- 
out them  there  could  be  no  drama." 

"  Or  simply  a  monodrama  depending  on  one  man." 

"  You  have  all  seen  this  woman  whose  voice  has  so 
charmed  us.  She  is  the  most  unfortunate  of  women, 
because  she  is  obliged  to  submit  to  a  situation  that  is 
revolting  to  her. 

"  Her  father,  a  rich  Jew,  belongs,  or  rather  belonged, 
to  those  of  his  race  who,  owing  to  a  European  edu- 
cation, have  sunk  into  a  destructive  scepticism,  and 
regard  as  an  imposture  all  religions,  including  his  own. 
Entering  early  into  active  life,  he  attributed  the 
success  of  his  career  partly  to  luck,  but  above  all  to 
his  own  intelligence  and  energy.  Outside  of  these 
three  forces,  there  was  for  him  nothing  else  here 
below  but  a  poetical  Utopia  for  the  amusement  of 
simpletons. 

"  The  mother  of  Mathilde  was  a  devout  Israelite, 
but  she  died  young,  and  her  child  was  left  to  the  care 
of  so-called  Christians,  who  taught  her  their  own 
unbelief  in  the  ideal,  and  left  her  to  form  her  mind 
for  good  or  evil  by  reading  without  discernment. 
They  taught  her  that  there  was  neither  virtue  nor  vice, 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF  LOVE. 


89 


but  skill  or  stupidity,  calculation  or  improvidence, 
decency  or  unseemliness.  So  that  when  the  maiden 
entered  society  she  looked  on  men  as  mere  ciphers  or 
figures,  as  they  appear  in  one  of  the  tables  of  Py- 
thagoras. Such  a  society  seemed  unattractive  to  a 
youthful  imagination  which  had  an  instinctive  longing 
for  the  perfumes  of  life,  and  found  only  dead  and 
withered  flowers. 

"  At  an  early  age  she  was  deprived  of  these  illusions. 
She  was  told  that  men  were  wicked,  heartless,  and 
deceivers.  It  would  not  do  to  believe  in  their  pro- 
testations; she  must  view  them  with  contempt  and 
aversion.  It  was  a  good  thing  to  be  honest,  to  spare 
one's  self  the  trouble  of  embarrassment,  and  honesty 
is  often  the  best  policy.  On  this  theory  crime  was 
only  an  awkwardness,  and  virtue  without  intrinsic  worth 
unless  it  brought  assured  profits. 

"  As  Mathilde  might  marry  an  Israelite,  a  Mussul- 
man, or  a  Christian,  she  had  access  to  the  literature  of 
all  religious  beliefs.  She  read  the  Bible,  but  her 
father  ridiculed  the  most  sacred  passages.  This 
critical  raillery  and  the  numerous  books  perused  by 
her  left  her  mind  nothing  but  unbelief. 

"  Add  to  this  the  practical  education  which 
endeavoured  prematurely  to  tear  from  her  all  heart, 
as  one  pulls  an  aching  tooth  to  prevent  further  suffer- 
ing, and  you  can  form  some  idea  of  what  they  had 
done  to  this  poor  child. 

"  Mathilde  entered  this  existence  like  an  insensible 
statue,  without  taste  for  life.     She   foresaw  that  she 


9o  THE    JEW. 

would  not  be  happy,  for  she  well  knew  that  there 
could  be  no  happiness  for  noble  souls.  Her  senti- 
ments did  not  accord  with  the  line  of  conduct  that  had 
been  drawn  for  her.  Her  aspirations  were  pure,  but 
she  was  taught  that  self-interest  should  be  the  only 
motive  of  all  her  aspirations,  and  that  any  other  course 
was  a  morbid  weakness,  and  would  lead  to  ruin. 
Although  she  was  ignorant  of  many  things  that  had 
been  concealed  from  her,  she  divined  them,  and  each 
day  she  rebelled  against  this  desperate  reality.  Her 
widowed  father  lived  on,  following  his  own  whims 
without  regard  to  moral  law,  and  without  belief  in 
virtue.  Coveting  all  that  was  accessible  to  him,  he 
led  a  selfish  life,  and,  although  he  was  careful  to 
observe  the  proprieties  in  his  house,  his  practices  were 
visible  to  the  eyes  of  his  young  daughter,  who  was  con- 
vinced that  true  affection  had  no  place  in  the  hearts  of 
men.  Her  generous  nature  revolted  sadly  against  this 
paternal  materialism.  Any  other  woman  under  the 
influence  of  such  an  example,  in  such  an  immoral 
atmosphere,  would  have  been  corrupted.  Mathilde 
felt  only  a  profound  melancholy.  Nature  and  study 
became  her  consolers.  Art  spoke  to  her  of  the  great 
sentiments  toward  which  she  had  wished  to  raise 
herself,  but  had  been  prevented. 

"  There  is  perhaps  no  torture  more  intense  than  a 
struggle  like  this  between  noble  instincts  and  the 
animalism  of  the  world.  Mathilde  in  her  fourteenth 
year  was  already  as  sad,  as  wearied,  as  she  is  to-day  of 
this  existence  without  future  and  without  hope.     Be- 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF   LOVE.  91 

fore  her  appeared  the  certainty  of  an  advantageous 
marriage  which  would  render  hei  life  a  success  in  a 
worldly  sense.  Nothing  more  !  Her  father,  with  his 
wealth,  was  sure  to  find  a  young  husband  of  good 
position,  possessed  of  riches  equal  to  his  own.  It 
was  not  to  be  supposed  that  he  would  seek  for  other 
qualities,  and  it  was  certain  that  he  would  not  suffer 
from  his  daughter,  whom  he  loved  after  his  own 
fashion,  the  least  remonstrance  in  regard  to  his  choice. 

"While  the  girl  was  growing  up  in  this  poisonous 
moral  atmosphere,  in  the  midst  of  every  luxury,  a 
young  man  came  to  the  house." 

"  I  have  waited  for  him  a  long  time  with  impa- 
tience," cried  Lucie  Coloni.  "  Behold,  at  last  he  is 
here  !  " 

"Do  not  ask  me  to  describe  his  character,"  said 
Jacob.  "  The  heroes  of  true  romances  like  this  all 
resemble  each  other  in  general.  They  have  external 
fascinations,  all  the  virtues,  all  the  grand  and  noble 
qualities,  an  affectionate  heart  and  an  exalted  head, 
and  so  forth.  But  my  hero,  nevertheless,  differs  a 
little  from  the  ordinary.  He  had  some  distinctive 
traits  ;  he  had  been  poor,  and  was  little  accustomed  to 
salons.  He  had  drawn  all  the  forces  of  his  success 
and  energy  from  the  school  of  humility;  he  was 
modest,  peaceable,  and  little  expansive,  like  all  those 
to  whom  a  premature  sadness  has  proved  that  to  ask 
sympathy  provokes  only  raillery  in  this  world.  The 
father  of  Mathilde  was  a  distant  relative  of  this  young 
man,  and  had  taken  him  to   his  house   to  finish  his 


92  THE    JEW. 

education,  having  recognized  in  him  a  certain  capac- 
ity. He  intended  to  push  his  fortunes  owing  to  a 
noble  sentiment  of  relationship  which  remained  in  his 
heart,  and  was  almost  the  only  trace  of  old  Judaism. 
He  also  felt  some  pride  in  protecting  a  young  man 
who  promised  to  do  himself  honour  in  the  world. 
This  promise  was  only  partly  fulfilled,  for  too  preco- 
cious talents  do  not  always  produce  the  fruits  that  are 
expected  of  them. 

"The  young  man,  who  had  finished  his  studies  and 
was  preparing  himself  for  business,  lived  in  the  house 
of  his  protector,  who  intended  to  send  him  to  foreign 
parts  to  oversee  his  business.  You  may  give  to  my 
hero  any  name  you  wish." 

"Call  him  Jacob,"  said  Ivas. 

"  No,  no  !  let  us  call  him  Janus,  the  Polish  equiv- 
alent for  Jonas.  I  do  not  know,  madame,  if  it  is 
hardly  worth  while  to  relate  the  rest  to  you,  for  it  is 
easy  to  divine.  Two  orphaned  souls,  aspiring  to  the 
poetry  of  life,  could  not  meet  without  loving.  Mathilde 
found  in  him  a  nobleness  which  responded  to  her 
ideal  of  a  man's  character,  and  he  recognized  in  her 
his  ideal  of  melancholy  beauty. 

"  In  his  protector's  house  it  was  necessary  to  be  on 
guard,  lest  he  should  suspect  an  inclination  which 
would  cause  them  to  be  separated,  and  should  chase 
Janus  from  his  Paradise.  The  young  people  well 
understood  that  they  must  feign  indifference  for  fear 
of  such  a  catastrophe.  A  few  words  exchanged  in  a 
room  full  of  people,  on  the  street,  or  near  the  piano, 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF  LOVE.  93 

some  furtive  glances,  —  behold  the  relations  of  the 
young  man  with  Mathilde  ! 

"  The  father  had  not  the  least  idea  that  this  unfor- 
tunate youth  could  dare  to  throw  his  eyes  on  an  in- 
heritance worthy  of  a  Rothschild.  If  such  a  thought 
had  by  chance  entered  his  head,  he  would  have  put  it 
away  as  a  thing  impossible. 

"  The  English  governess,  mature  but  romantic  still, 
was  very  fond  of  these  Platonic  friendships,  and  had 
herself  even  such  a  weakness  for  the  young  man  that 
she  hoped  to  fascinate  him  by  the  multiplicity  of  her 
talents.  She  put  no  restraint  upon  her  pupil,  and  she 
even  took  it  upon  herself  to  assist  them.  His  host, 
seeing  the  manoeuvres  of  Miss  Burnet,  for  he  had  for 
these  things  much  perspicuity,  laughed  in  his  sleeve, 
thinking  it  quite  natural  for  Janus  thus  to  commence 
his  virile  career,  and  never  dreaming  that  it  was  his 
daughter  to  whom  the  youth  aspired." 

Jacob  paused,  as  if  short  of  breath,  and  Lucie  gave 
him  some  sherbet.  There  was  a  moment  of  silence, 
then  he  resumed  his  narrative  in  a  weaker  voice  :  — 

"Recall,  each  one  of  you,  kind  listeners,  your 
youth  and  the  earliest  flower  of  the  springtime  of  your 
first  love.  Consider  that  angel  of  candour,  chained 
unhappily  to  the  earth,  this  most  prosaic  earth,  while 
her  wings  unfold  and  open  to  carry  her  to  heaven. 
The  youth  adored  her  as  a  divinity,  and  she  saw  in 
him  a  celestial  messenger  sent  to  her  from  the  ethereal 
world.  That  is  the  romance  which  they  held  in  their 
hearts,  and  which   they  would  not   manifest  visibly. 


94  THE    JEW. 

Two  words  sufficed  to  make  them  happy  for  a  long 
time.  A  look,  when  they  met  during  the  day,  gave 
them  new  strength  to  live. 

"  The  word  '  love '  was  never  mentioned  between 
them.  The  same  chaste  sentiment  beat  in  unison  in 
their  hearts  without  inflaming  their  brains  or  their 
senses.  For  them  silence  even  was  a  poem  of  happi- 
ness ;  the  smile,  a  joy  divine ;  and  a  flower  was  an 
avowal. 

"  These  felicities,  which  appeared  afterward  like 
child's  play,  and  which  reason  turned  to  raillery, 
passed  unperceived. 

"  Neither  Mathilde's  father  nor  her  governess  had 
the  least  suspicion  of  anything  serious.  The  father 
even  thought  that,  at  times,  his  daughter  was  too  timid 
and  too  cold  toward  Janus,  and  Miss  Burnet  reproached 
her  for  the  same  thing.  The  want  of  theory  or  of 
practice,  I  know  not  which,  deceived  her,  and  she 
supposed  that  it  was  to  herself  that  Janus  aspired. 

"  Alas  !  this  dream  of  the  heart,  this  love  without 
hope,  vanished  like  a  dream  at  the  gate  of  Paradise. 
One  morning,  or  rather  one  afternoon,  the  father 
ordered  his  daughter,  with  a  very  indifferent  air,  to 
dress  herself  with  much  care,  as  he  expected  a  visitor. 
A  short  time  before  dinner  there  entered  a  young  man, 
distinguished,  well-bred,  a  perfect  man  of-  the  world, 
and  whom  the  father  presented  under  the  name  of 
Henri  Segel. 

"  There  are  presentiments  !  This  black- eyed  An- 
tinoiis,  with    a    perpetual  smile  on  his  lips,  with  an 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF  LOVE.  95 

amiability  so  spiritual  and  so  courteous,  frightened  the 
girl.  She  felt  for  him  a  violent  repulsion,  a  strange 
sentiment  which  is  explained  by  psychology  only; 
she  detested  him,  although  she  had  nothing  with 
which  to  reproach  him. 

"  He  loved  music,  and  was  himself  a  good  musician, 
and  he  was  said  to  be  enormously  rich. 

"Three  days  after,  the  father  said  quietly  to  his 
daughter,  without  asking  her  opinion,  that  Henri  Segel 
was  her  betrothed.  In  announcing  this  he  said  that 
she  was  to  be  congratulated  on  having  pleased  Mon- 
sieur Segel,  and  that  he  had  fallen  desperately  in 
love  with  her.  All  this  was  in  a  tone  which  did  not 
permit  the  slightest  contradiction.  The  thing  was 
settled ;  she  had  nothing  to  say  about  it. 

"  The  marriage  seemed  to  him  so  suitable  that  all 
hesitation  or  opposition  would  have  appeared  an  un- 
pardonable childishness.  She  ought  to  consider  her- 
self a  very  lucky  girl. 

"  Mathilde  did  not  reply,  but  she  grew  frightfully 
pale.  She  was  congratulated  on  all  sides,  while  she 
suffered  in  her  heart.  Her  sad  glance  seemed  to  say 
to  Jacob  "  — 

"  Pardon  me,"  cried  Ivas,  "  but  you  called  him 
Janus." 

Jacob  blushed,  drank  a  glass  of  water,  wiped  his 
brow,  and  seemed  unable  to  continue  his  story. 

"You  are  right,"  said  he  at  last.  "I  was  mis- 
taken." 

"Continue,  monsieur,  —  continue,  I  beg  of  you," 
cried  Lucie. 


96  THE    JEW. 

"  It  was,"  said  the  Jew,  "  a  pleasant  evening  in 
springtime.  The  perfume  of  flowers  was  spread 
abroad,  and  on  the  leaves  glistened  drops  of  dew. 
Mathilde  and  Miss  Burnet  walked  in  the  garden. 
Seated  on  a  bench,  Janus  held  a  book  which  he 
did  not  read.  The  Englishwoman  saw  him  and  di- 
rected their  steps  toward  him.  Happily,  or  perhaps 
unfortunately,  just  then  there  came  a  friend  of  Miss 
Burnet.  Chance  willed  that  the  lovers  were  left 
alone  together.  They  were  both  glad  and  frightened 
at  this  unexpected  circumstance.  They  walked  to- 
gether for  some  time  in  silence,  trembling  and  hardly 
breathing.  The  two  Englishwomen  had  a  thousand 
secrets  to  relate,  and  left  them  alone  a  long  time. 
The  governess  had  even  whispered  to  her  pupil  on 
leaving,  '  Go  as  far  as  you  please.' 

"They  strolled  along  in  silence.  She  gathered 
flowers,  among  the  leaves  of  which  her  tears  mingled 
with  the  dew-drops.  He,  pensive,  looked  at  her  and 
man-like  held  back  the  tears  that  rose  to  his  eyes. 
Suddenly  Mathilde  stopped.  She  raised  her  head 
proudly,  as  if  she  had  gained  a  victory  over  herself. 
She  put  her  hand  to  her  side,  and  threw  on  her 
kinsman  a  strange  look  in  which  she  gave  herself  to 
him  for  eternity. 

"'Very  soon,'  murmured  she,  'we  must  separate. 
You  know  what  awaits  me.  It  will  be  sweet  for  me 
to  recall  this  evening's  walk.  And  you,  will  you 
remember?  ' 

"  She  spoke  to  him  for  the  first  time  in  a  sad  and 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF   LOVE.  97 

solemn  voice.  Her  expressive  words  went  to  Janus' 
heart,  and  he  thought  he  should  go  mad.  His  heart 
beat  violently,  his  hands  were  clenched  on  his  breast. 

* '  Forget  you,  Mathilde  ! '  cried  he.  '  Forget  the 
happiness  I  have  tasted  with  you  !  Oh,  no,  never  ! 
Never  !  I  swear  to  you  that  I  will  never  marry  another 
woman,  for  I  have  loved  you,  and  I  love  you  still,  as 
one  loves  but  once  in  life.  Why  need  I  tell  you  all 
my  love  when  you  know  it  already  !  ' 

" '  I  have  believed  it,  and  I  still  believe  it,  but  life 
is  long  and  memory  unfaithful.  For  you  men,  it  is 
said  that  love  is  a  pastime,  for  us  it  is  existence.  I 
have  loved  you,  and  I  will  never  cease  to  love  you  ! ' 

"  Stifled  sobs  interrupted  her  words. 

" '  Love  could  never  be  a  plaything  to  me,'  said 
Janus.  *  In  my  eyes  it  is  the  most  sacred  thing  in  life. 
It  is  the  marriage  of  two  souls  for  eternity.' 

"'I  believe  it,'  cried  Mathilde,  'and  that  is  why  I 
love  you.  I  feel  that  you  are  honest  and  sincere  ;  you 
know  what  awaits  me.  They  have  sold  me  to  a  man 
for  whom  I  have  an  invincible  aversion.  But  I  will 
not  suffer  long,  for  I  shall  soon  die.  May  your  soul 
be  the  tomb  where  my  memory  will  not  perish  !  My 
father  will  raise  for  me  a  monument,  my  husband  will 
give  me  a  fine  funeral,  but  my  grave  before  long  will 
be  covered  with  weeds ;  may  a  memory  of  me  remain, 
at  least,  in  your  heart !  ' 

"The  Englishwomen  were  so  absorbed  in  their 
conversation  that  they  prolonged  their  farewells  for 
some  time. 


9S  THE     JEW. 

"' To-day,'  continued  Mathilde,  'I  have  seen  you 
so  sad  that  I  have  wished,  under  pretence  of  saying 
adieu,  to  give  you  some  words  of  consolation.  Who 
knows  if  we  shall  ever  meet  alone  again ;  let  me  then 
repeat  that  I  love  you ;  that  I  love  and  will  love  you 
until  death.' 

" '  Mathilde,'  cried  he,  rebelling  against  their  des- 
tiny, '  if  you  have  confidence  in  me,  leave  this  house. 
Behold  two  arms  which  can  procure  you  bread. 
Your  father  will  forgive  us,  and  you  will  be  mine 
forever.' 

" '  No  ! '  she  answered  firmly,  after  an  instant  of  re- 
flection ;  '  I  love  you  like  a  child,  but  I  can  reason  like 
a  mature  woman.  I  do  not  believe  in  a  future  ;  for  me 
the  future  is  a  lure.  I  should  bring  you,  perhaps,  some 
moments  of  happiness,  but  afterward  I  should  be  a 
cause  of  weariness  and  remorse.  You  have  no  right 
to  show  yourself  so  ungrateful  to  your  protector,  who 
has  done  much  for  you.  Who  knows  whether  you 
would  not  be  disappointed  in  me.  I  am  already  fad- 
ing, having  been  poisoned  from  my  cradle.  My  un- 
belief awakens.  I  hear  a  mocking  laugh  vibrate  in  my 
ears,  even  when  tears  are  in  my  eyes.  No,  no  !  a  hun- 
dred times  no  !  It  will  be  better  for  you  to  love  the 
dead,  for  who  knows  if  living,  you  would  love  me  long.' 

"  She  dismissed  him  with  a  sigh,  and  withdrew  from 
him  as  if  she  feared  that  she  might  be  persuaded. 

"  After  a  little,  she  returned  to  Janus,  who  was  lost 
in  bitter  thoughts.  He  had  remained  where  she  had 
left  him,  with  bowed  head  and  clasped  hands. 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF   LOVE.  99 

"  <  What  do  you  think  of  my  future  husband  ? '  asked 
she. 

"'I  detest  him.' 

"  *  Is  it  because  he  is  to  be  my  husband  ?  ' 

"  '  No.    He  produced  this  impression  at  first  sight.' 

"<  And  why?' 

" '  I  know  not.  He  is  odious  to  me,  although  I 
know  nothing  against  him.  He  is  rich,  fashionable, 
very  amiable.     And  with  all  that  I  cannot  like  him.' 

"  '  I  even  fear,'  added  Mathilde,  '  that  he  has  noth- 
ing human  in  him.  He  is  a  being  which  appears  to 
me  to  be  utterly  without  heart,  a  sort  of  automaton 
fabricated  by  the  nineteenth  century.  With  all  his 
knowledge,  I  am  sure  that  he  does  not  know  how  to 
weep,  nor  suffer,  nor  to  have  pity  or  compassion  on 
the  sorrows  of  others.  If  he  gives  alms,  it  is  for  os- 
tentation or  calculation  ;  but  he  will  not  grieve  for  an 
unfortunate ;  he  will  never  sympathize  with  him  nor 
mingle  his  tears  with  his.  Our  epoch  of  iron  has  fash- 
ioned men  worthy  of  herself.  She  has  made  them  of 
iron,  and  the  blood  that  courses  in  their  veins  is  no 
longer  pure,  but  has  grown  rusty.' 

" '  Perhaps  you  are  a  little  too  severe,'  said  Janus. 
'However,  it  is  the  same-  impression  that  I  have 
formed  of  him.  But  love  and  a  wife  often  transform 
a  man.' 

" '  A  man,  yes,  but  not  an  automaton.  His  very 
look  freezes  me.  This  sweet  smile,  this  perpetual 
gayety  which  cannot  be  natural,  irritates  me.  He 
is  always  the  same,  —  a  being  of  marble.  My  God  ! 
have  pity  on  me  ! ' 


IOO  THE    JEW. 

"  In  saying  these  words  she  drew  from  her  hand  a 
ring  and  put  it  on  one  of  his  fingers. 

" '  I  bought  this  expressly  for  you.  Preserve  it 
in  memory  of  her  whom  you  have  loved.  It  is 
black ;  it  is  a  mourning  ring,  the  only  kind  appropri- 
ate to  our  unhappy  love.  After  to-day  any  conversa- 
tion between  us  will  be  impossible,  so  farewell,  and 
forget  me  not.' 

"  She  left  him  and  joined  her  governess. 

"  These  were  the  first  and  last  words  of  love  that 
passed  between  them.  They  saw  each  other  every 
day,  but  as  strangers.  They  bowed  to  each  other,  but 
neither  of  them  ever  sought  another  interview.  Here- 
after only  shadows  and  silence  would  surround  their 
passion. 

"  Mathilde  accepted,  without  a  word,  the  husband 
that  her  father  had  chosen  for  her.  The  marriage 
was  celebrated  with  great  ostentation.  The  victim 
walked  to  the  altar  robed  in  satin  and  lace  and 
covered  with  diamonds. 

"  Her  father  was  radiant  with  the  joy  of  having  so 
well  established  his  daughter.  Every  one  knew  that 
he  had  given  her  a  million  for  a  wedding  dowry,  and 
that  still  another  was  promised,  and  that  the  husband 
possessed  several  himself,  with  expectations  besides. 
All  the  mothers,  all  the  fathers,  and  all  the  marriage- 
able young  girls  envied  Mathilde's  luclc.  Behold,  in 
all  its  simplicity,  the  end  of  my  story  ! 

"Two  years  have  passed,  and  you  have  met  this 
husband  and  wife.     He  is  always  calm  and  happy,  she, 


A    SIMPLE    HISTORY    OF  LOVE.  101 

sad.  The  only  thing  that  ever  troubles  him  is  when 
he  fails  to  receive  in  good  time  the  reports  of  the 
bourse  of  Paris  or  London.  To  amuse  him  she  sings, 
as  you  have  heard,  the  music  of  Mendelssohn.  Truly, 
it  was  hardly  worth  while  to  listen  to  my  story.  It  is 
a  romance  which  happens  every  day,  and  which  has 
been  related  a  thousand  times  before." 

"And  Janus?  "  asked  the  lady. 

"  Janus  wears  always  the  ring  of  his  only  beloved. 
He  bears  his  sorrow,  for  in  one  hour  he  drained  the 
dregs  of  despair.  To-day  he  is  only  a  body  without 
soul." 

"  The  story  is  heart-rending  above  all  expression," 
said  Lucie,  "  and  I  admit  that  I  expected  something 
more  dramatic.  The  victim  has  all  my  sympathy. 
As  for  the  lover,  I  am  not  anxious  about  him.  This 
1  body  without  soul '   will  soon  be  consoled." 

"I  doubt  it,"  replied  Jacob.  "Consolation  comes 
only  to  those  who  wish  to  console  themselves.  Janus 
is  resigned  to  a  perpetual  mourning  of  the  heart." 

"  No  one  would  believe,"  remarked  Madame  Coloni, 
"  that  this  story  was  of  our  day ;  its  character  is  so 
simple  and  so  elegiac." 

Jacob  rose ;  the  hour  was  late,  and  all  the  company 
prepared  to  retire.  The  Russian,  who  had  remained 
silent  all  the  evening,  was  the  only  one  who  did  not 
hasten  to  depart. 

"  Then,  if  not  in  Genoa,  we  shall  meet  again  in 
Warsaw,"  said  Lucie  to  Ivas  and  Jacob. 

"You  are  surely  going  there,  madame?" 


102  THE    JEW. 

"  It  appears  that  it  is  decided,"  replied  she,  looking 
at  her  companion.  "  The  hour  of  departure  only  is 
not  yet  fixed.  You  will,  perhaps,  be  kind  enough  to 
come  to  see  me." 

Ivas  and  Jacob  returned  to  the  Hotel  Feder. 

"  I  believe,"  said  Ivas,  "  that  I  will  not  hear  the 
rest  of  your  biography  this  evening.  You  are  already 
too  fatigued  with  your  remembrances.     Good-night  !  " 


FROM    GENOA     TO    PISA. 


103 


CHAPTER     VI. 

FROM    GENOA    TO    PISA. 

When  Jacob  awoke  the  next  morning,  he  was 
astonished  to  find  himself  alone.  He  was  told  that 
Ivas  had  gone  out  before  daybreak.  He  was  at  first 
alarmed  about  this  matinal  sortie,  although  he  tried  to 
explain  it  by  a  desire  to  bathe  in  the  sea,  or  curiosity 
to  see  the  city.  The  thought  came  to  his  mind  that 
the  poor  boy  wished  to  leave  him,  through  excess  of 
susceptibility,  and  had  departed,  counting  on  his 
restored  strength.  However,  the  sight  of  his  little 
travelling-bag  calmed  his  fears,  and  he  was  waiting 
calmly  for  breakfast  when  Ivas  returned. 

"  I  went  out,"  said  he,  shaking  Jacob's  hand,  "  to 
take  a  little  walk.  I  need  air,  solitude,  and  movement. 
I  came  on  foot  from  Marseilles,  and  I  am  accustomed 
to  walking.  I  have  no  -right  to  soften  myself  with 
inaction.     I  must  fatigue  myself  to  feel  that  I  live." 

"You  are  a  child,"  said  Jacob  smiling;  "you  dis- 
trust yourself,  while  so  many  others  have  too  much 
confidence  in  themselves.  You  possess  that  which  can 
vanquish  all,  —  will  Strong  as  you  feel  in  yourself 
you  will  overcome  all  obstacles.  I  know  men  remark, 
able  in  all  respects  who  have  never  accomplished 
anything  for  lack  of  will,  and  I  know  other  men  who 


104  THE    JEW. 

by  their  energy  have  attained,  by  sheer  determination, 
a  position  far  above  that  which  their  talents  merited." 

"  You  understand  me,"  said  Ivas,  "  and  I  fear  to  lose 
this  will.  I  wished  a  short  battle  to  convince  me  that 
I  was  not  benumbed.  I  wrestled  somewhat  as  Jacob, 
your  namesake,  did  during  his  sleep,  and  I  have 
conquered." 

"  Where  have  you  been  ?  " 

"  Almost  everywhere.  In  the  dusty  highway,  in 
the  tumult  of  the  port,  in  the  deserted  walks  of  Aqua 
Sola,  and  even  under  the  windows  of  the  beautiful 
Mathilde," 

"  And  what  took  you  there  ?  "  • 

"  I  know  not.  I  found  myself  there  by  chance.  I 
have  seen  Madame  Coloni,  the  two  Italians,  and  the 
Tsigane.  We  all  met  there  to  watch  the  departure 
from  Genoa  of  the  marvellous  singer." 

"What,  the  departure  !  Perhaps  they  only  went 
out  for  a  walk." 

"  No ;  if  they  intended  to  remain  longer  in  Genoa 
they  have  changed  their  minds.  The  veturino  told 
me  that  he  was  going  to  Spezia  and  Pisa.  I  do  not 
think  the  husband  would  go  alone,  and  from  the  bag- 
gage that  I  have  seen  I  cannot  tell  how  many  travel- 
lers there  are.  The  servant  would  not  answer  one  of 
my  questions." 

"  Why  did  you  question  him?  " 

"  From  curiosity." 

"  Then  they  are  gone  ?  " 

"  Probably,  but  I  did  not  wait  to  see  them  go.    I 


FROM    GENOA     TO    PISA. 


I05 


did  not  wish  to  be  seen  among  the  rabble  which  sur- 
rounded the  carriage." 

"Well,"  said  Jacob  suddenly,  "what  shall  we  do 
now  ?  What  do  you  desire,  —  to  remain  here  longer, 
or  to  proceed  on  our  journey  ?  " 

"  As  you  will  j  but  your  journey  has  nothing  in 
common  with  mine.  I  must  go  as  soon  as  I  have 
rested  a  little.     You  can  do  as  you  wish." 

"  Let  me  hear  no  more  of  this.  Away  with  cere- 
mony !  It  was  agreed  that  we  travel  together.  Re- 
fuse, and  you  will  offend  me.  Give  me  your  hand. 
We  will  go  together.  You  can  reserve  your  strength 
for  something  better." 

«  But  "  — 

"  Where  do  you  wish  to  go?  " 

"  I  should  like  to  see  Spezia  and  Pisa,  if  it  is 
agreeable." 

"Why?" 

"  Frankly,  because  Jacob  wishes  to  go  to  Spezia,  be- 
cause Mathilde  has  gone  that  way,  because  Janus  and 
Jacob  are  one  and  the  same  person.  On  his  uncov- 
ered breast  during  his  sleep  I  have  seen  a  mourning 
ring  suspended  from  a  black  ribbon." 

"  Even  without  that  it  was  easy  for  you  to  pierce 
this  mystery.  Yes,  that  history  is  mine.  Neither  she 
nor  I  have  any  reason  to  blush.  The  relative  who 
sent  me  to  school  was  Mathilde's  father." 

" Then  we  will  go  to  Pisa?  " 

"  Yes,  and  I  think  we  had  better  go  on  foot,  if  it  is 
agreeable  to  you.     The  route  is  so  beautiful  that  it 


io6  THE    JEW. 

deserves  to  be  taken  in  detail.  We  will  consign  our 
baggage  to  the  diligence,  and  we  will  take  to  the 
road  like  two  wandering  artists." 

"  An  excellent  idea.  But  let  us  depart  before 
evening.  I  am  anxious  to  get  to  my  country.  My 
homesickness  becomes  each  day  more  violent.  *I 
foresee  great  events ;  impatience     jnsumes  me." 

"Confess!     You  are  a  conspirator ? " 

"How  could  I  be  anything  else?  All  Poland  has 
conspired  for  two  hundred  years.  Oppression  drives 
us  to  it ;  generations  of  martyrs  have  excited  us. 
Where  life  cannot  expand  in  liberty,  conspiracy  is 
inevitable.     It  is  the  natural  result  of  despotism." 

"  I  understand  you.  Unhappily,  however,  for  a 
country  which  is  in  such  a  situation,  its  inhabitants 
have  lost  confidence  in  themselves,  and  recognize 
their  own  weakness.  I  can  only  comprehend  a  con- 
spiracy like  ours,  which  has  lasted  two  thousand  years 
and  which  has  led  us  to  a  regeneration.  It  has  ag- 
glomerated our  forces  in  a  solid  and  vigorous  union. 
Your  conspiracies  have  something  feverish  about  them 
that  can  end  only  in  morbid  decadence." 

"  Do  not  say  so,  I  beg  of  you  !  You  have  not  the 
same  love  for  Poland  as  we,  and  you  have  not  passed 
through  such  martyrdom." 

"  Excuse  me  for  contradicting  you.  ■  The  country 
that  has  sheltered  us,  where  in  spite  of  continual  per- 
secutions we  have  increased  by  labour,  has  become  for 
us  a  second  country  that  we  have  chosen.  You  will 
think  as  I  do  some  day  before  long.  I  feel  myself  at 
the  same  time  Israelite  and  Pole," 


FROM    GENOA     TO    PISA.  107 

"  Men  like  you  are  rare,"  said  Ivas.  "  I  say  it  with- 
out flattery.  In  general,  your  race  is  credited  with 
little  affection  for  the  country  which  has  been  a  safe- 
guard against  other  persecutors,  and  has  recognized 
you  as  her  children.  " 

"  Softly  !  Review  history  without  partiality.  Relig- 
ious fanaticism  an^  the  arrogance  of  the  nobility  have 
long  been  an  obstacle  to  the  admission  of  Jews  as  cit- 
izens. The  fault  is  also  with  the  Jews,  who  have  not 
tried  to  adopt  the  language  and  the  customs  of  the 
country.  They  have  isolated  themselves,  made  a  state 
within  a  state,  a  nation  within  a  nation,  and  have  not 
laboured  sincerely  to  obtain  that  naturalization  which 
is  obtained  only  by  common  bloodshed  and  devotion. 
The  fault  is  on  both  sides ;  both  sides  also  ought  to 
ask  pardon  and  forget  the  past.  Our  age  is  different 
from  others.  Civilization  spreads  everywhere.  Hu- 
mane ideas  are  general ;  everything  to-day  tends  to 
bring  us  together  and  unite  us.  We  tender  you  the 
hand,  do  not  repulse  us  !  " 

"  What !  can  our  younger  generation  be  capable  of 
repulsing  you?  There  will  be  for  a  long  while  yet 
prejudices  and  repugnances,  and  evil  predictions,  but 
the  majority  of  the  people  accept  frankly  your  hand. 
Be  then  our  brothers,  but  jjejtrin  spirit  as  well  as  in 
words,  in  action  as  in  appearance.  Be  our  brothers, 
not  in  the  time  of  prosperity  only,  but  in  times  of 
trouble  and  conflict." 

Jacob  pressed  his  companion's  hand. 

"Enough  for  to-day,"  said  he.     "We  shall  agree 


10S  THE    JEW. 

very  well  together,  we  young  men.  The  youth  of  Is- 
rael think  as  I  do.  However,  with  us,  as  with  you, 
there  will  be  prejudices,  old  hatreds,  secular  distinc- 
tions ;  we  must  not  let  ourselves  be  influenced  by 
these  remembrances  of  the  past.  Love  only  can 
appease  and  unite  us  as  one.  Let  us  endeavour  to 
love  each  other.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  resume 
this  subject ;  let  us  now  prepare  to  go.  Shall  it  be  on 
foot  or  in  a  carriage?  " 

"  On  foot,  by  all  means." 

That  afternoon,  dressed  as  pedestrians,  they  went 
to  say  farewell  to  Lucie  Coloni.  They  found  her  in 
the  midst  of  preparations  for  departure,  in  the  midst 
of  bags  and  trunks.  The  Russian  was  arranging  the 
books  and  papers.  The  lady  was  finishing  paying 
bills. 

Jacob  and  Ivas  were  going  to  leave,  fearing  to  in- 
commode them,  when  Lucie  looked  up  and  saw  Ivas. 

"Ah,  you  are  there  !  We  are  just  going.  Be  sure 
to  come  to  Warsaw,  and  do  not  forget  what  I  asked  you. 
Let  me  hear  from  you ;  I  shall  be  anxious  to  see  you. 
To-day  I  cannot  talk  longer.  Do  not  forget  Lucie 
Coloni.     At  the  theatre  you  will  find  my  address." 

The  young  Pole  looked  at  her  with  astonishment. 

"  You  go  with  Gromof  ?  "  asked  he. 

"Yes.  He  is  an  old  friend.  I  do- not  know  that 
he  will  accompany  me  all  the  way.  That  depends. 
There  is  nothing  certain.  I  will  remind  you  that  you 
can  be  very  useful  to  me.  May  that  be  a  reason  for 
our  meeting  again.  " 


FROM    GENOA     TO   PISA.  I09 

"  But  how  can  I  be  useful  to  you  ?  " 

"  Do  not  ask  me  now,  I  pray  you.  That  is  my 
business.     Au  revoir  /     Addio  /     Addio/" 

When  they  came  down  the  steps  which  led  to  the 
narrow  place  that  separated  the  two  hotels,  they 
almost  ran  against  the  Tsigane  who  stood  gaping  in 
the  air,  smoking  his  cigar,  and  gravely  watching  the 
asses  transporting  their  enormous  loads  to  the  wharf. 

"Where  are  you  two  bound?  "  asked  he. 

"  We  leave  to-day,  on  foot." 

"On  foot  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  How  ridiculous,  when  you  can  travel  so  much 
more  comfortably !  It  is  good,  however,  to  have 
whims.  As  for  me  I  am  no  longer  capable  of  them. 
Still,  if  I  could  have  for  a  companion  the  charming 
Italian  I  might  decide  to  go  on  foot  with  her.  The 
Russian  monopolizes  her." 

"  I  fear  so  !  "  cried  the  Dane,  suddenly  appearing. 
"  She  has  made  an  execrable  choice.  They  have 
gone  together;  I  have  seen  them  off.  Where  are 
they  going?  " 

"We  know  not.     Perhaps  toward  the  south." 

"It  is  the  cheapest  way,"  replied  the  Dane,  "and 
perhaps  that  is  why  the  Russian  will  take  it.  One 
hardly  needs  food  when  they  have  swallowed  the  dust 
on  the  way.  That  is  why  I  have  decided  to  go  by 
water.  I  love  to  travel  that  way  much  better  than  by 
land.  I  came  to  say  good-by  to  la  belle  Coloni.  I 
hoped  to  cut  out  the  Russian,  and  I  still  have  hopes 


HO  THE    JEW. 

that  when  I  meet  her  again  she  may  be  tired  of  him. 
In  order  to  gain  a  victory  one  must  try." 

"He  calls  that  a  victory;  droll  idea!"  said  the 
Tsigane.  "  He  ignores  the  fact  that  in  Italy  one  can 
obtain  as  many  Lucie  Colonis  as  he  wishes  for  travel- 
ling companions." 

"  I  do  not  believe,"  said  Ivas,  "  that  there  are  many 
persons  as  good  and  as  spirituelle  as  this  Lucie." 

"  I  forgot  that  she  came  to  your  assistance  at  the 
Grotto.  That  is  nothing.  It  only  proves  that  she 
has  a  good  heart.  Any  other  woman  would  have 
screamed,  and  profited  by  the  occasion  to  swoon 
gracefully.  But  I  do  not  see  the  necessity  of  spirit 
in  women.  What  use  is  it  to  them  ?  To  bite  ?  They 
have  their  teeth  for  that." 

Then  addressing  Jacob,  the  Tsigane  continued : 
"  Will  you  accept  me  as  a  companion  ?  I  ask  it  as  a 
favour." 

The  two  men  questioned  each  other  with  their  eyes. 
Gako  perceived  it,  and  said  haughtily :  "  I  withdraw 
my  request.  Stamlo  is  too  old  and  too  tiresome. 
Then  the  heat,  the  dust,  render  the  diligence  prefer- 
able.    Adieu  !  " 

He  took  leave  of  them  and  quickly  disappeared, 

"That  is  much  better,"  said  the  Jew.  "  We  should 
have  had  a  tiresome  companion." 

The  sun  was  sinking  into  the  sea  when  the  two 
comrades  left  their  hotel  and  set  out  for  Spezia.  The 
suburbs  of  Genoa  were  marvellously  beautiful.  There 
were  cypress  and  orange  groves,  and  vineyards  ;  flowers 


FROM    GENOA    TO    PISA.  m 

bloomed  on  every  side,  and  birds  sang  in  the  branches 
overhead.  Soon  their  pathway  led  along  the  border 
of  the  sea ;  at  each  moment  the  scene  changed  like  a 
panorama.  In  springtime  or  in  autumn  this  route  is 
overrun  by  swarms  of  tourists  who  pass  by  with  such 
rapidity  that  they  retain  only  a  vague  impression  of  its 
beauty.  Less  numerous  are  the  travellers  who  know 
how  to  travel  slowly,  and  make  frequent  halts  to  drink 
in  the  beauty  of  the  country. 

Our  friends  were  of  the  number  who  hasten  slowly. 
They  were  in  no  way  troubled  about  their  arrival  at 
Spezia ;  they  were  sure  to  find  a  lodging  somewhere, 
for  it  was  not  difficult.  A  rustic  chamber,  some  fish 
salad  and  cheese,  some  wine  of  the  district,  more  or 
less  palatable,  that  was  to  be  found  everywhere  ;  and 
for  lights  they  could  have  primitive  little  lamps,  the 
rays  from  which  are  agreeable  enough,  but  too  feeble 
to  permit  one  to  read  and  write  easily.  Civilization 
in  Italy  has  introduced  wax  candles  only  in  the  large 
cities. 

Before  they  were  fatigued,  Jacob  and  Ivas  procured 
asses,  whose  easy  gait  permits  one  to  sleep  if  one 
wishes.  These  useful  animals  are  accustomed  to  carry 
men  as  well  as  the  most  fragile  objects. 

The  day  had  given  place  to  twilight  when  they  came 
to  the  orange  groves  of  Nervi,  with  the  flowers  of 
which  is  made  a  water  for  spasms,  celebrated  the  world 
over. 

Until  then  the  friends  had  spoken  on  many  subjects. 
"You  promised  me  to  finish  your  biography,"  at  last 


112  THE    JEW. 

said  Ivas.  "  You  have  disarranged  a  little  the  chrono- 
logical order  by  your  love  episode,  but  it  will  not  be 
difficult  to  reestablish  and  complete  your  recital." 

"  With  pleasure.  I  have  concealed  nothing,  and 
yesterday  I  was  obliged  to  reveal  the  most  secret  part 
of  my  life.  I  believe  we  left  off  where  I  entered 
school.  Persecuted  by  my  comrades,  I  learned  there 
to  know  life  as  well  as  grammar.  There  were  no 
notable  events  during  that  period.  It  opened  to  me, 
however,  the  doors  of  science,  which  I  embraced  to 
a  surprising  extent.  Until  then  I  had  read  only  the 
Bible,  which  comprised  for  me  the  entire  world.  Since 
then  I  have  been  interested  not  only  in  the  develop- 
ment of  a  single  people,  but  of  humanity.  My  exclu- 
sive faith  in  the  chosen  people  was  shaken  by  these 
studies.  They  appeared  to  me  under  a  different  light. 
My  faith  was  troubled  and  my  mind  made  more  inde- 
pendent. Finally,  I  returned  to  the  Bible  more  a  Jew 
than  ever,  but  of  a  different  kind.  Perhaps  it  is  diffi- 
cult for  you  to  comprehend  my  Judaism.  I  will  try, 
then,  to  explain  to  you  how  our  society,  strongly 
united  by  the  remembrance  of  former  persecutions, 
is  to-day  divided  into  several  divergent  factions. 

"The  Jew  is  no  longer  what  he  was  when  his 
absolute  separation  forced  him  to  be  himself,  —  to 
live,  to  reflect,  and  to  instruct,  within "  the  narrow 
circle  which  hostile  Christianity  had  traced  for  him. 
From  time  to  time  this  circle  sent  out  a  Maimonides 
or  a  Spinosa,  but  it  was  largely  composed  of  a  com- 
pact body  of  strict  and  faithful  believers.    We  grouped 


FROM    GENOA     TO    PISA. 


"3 


ourselves  around  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant.  To-day 
the  Jews  are  more  liberal,  less  restrained,  and  walk  in 
different  paths.  Many  reject  the  ancient  law,  and 
accept  in  appearance  another  religion,  while,  in 
reality,  they  have  none.  My  protector,  the  father  of 
Mathilde,  was  one  of  this  type.  Educated  by  strangers, 
in  the  midst  of  indifferent  men,  he  lost,  at  an  early  age, 
all  respect  for  our  traditions.  liberated  from  all 
ceremonious  restraint,  he  was  not  a  Christian,  but  had 
arrived  at  a  stand-point,  as  you  already  know,  where 
he  reduced  morality  to  calculation,  and  had  taken 
reason  for  his  guide. 

"  Man  is  only  the  most  perfect  animal.  Above  him 
exist  other  worlds,  other  beings,  other  conceptions ; 
besides  the  body,  there  is  a  soul,  which  unites  itself  to 
the  divinity,  and  can  soar  higher  than  the  earth  or 
stars.  Materialism  and  atheism  satisfy  neither  society 
nor  individual.  Their  adepts  are  like  flowers  torn 
from  their  stalks :  they  wither  rapidly.  Take  away 
God  and  the  soul,  and  what  would  be  the  result  with 
our  refined  civilization  ?  An  age  such  as  ours,  which 
subjugates  the  elements,  pierces  the  mysteries  of  nat- 
ure, but  knows  not  how  to  distinguish  good  from  evil. 
It  is  an  age  which  worships  only  force,  and  where  are 
heard  in  prolonged  echoes  the  vcz  victis.  There  is 
nothing  more  sad  than  to  see  men  who  have  over- 
thrown tradition,  and  who  have  no  other  hope  or  aim 
but  material  prosperity. 

"  They  are  only  too  numerous  in   your  commun- 
ion as  well  as  ours.     The  Christian  who  has  ceased 


ii4  THE   7RW- 

to  be  a  Christian,  the  Jew  who  rejects  Moses,  have 
for  a  horizon  only  an  earthly  life  consecrated  to  the 
satisfaction  of  their  passions.  Even  when  they  ap- 
pear to  be  happy,  they  are  at  heart  miserable. 
They  end  in  apathy  or  insanity.  Man  finds  in 
Mosaism  an  intellectual  nourishment  sufficient  for 
his  reason. 

"  In  order  to  decry  the  faith  of  Moses,  which  is  the 
basis  of  Christianity,  it  is  unjust  to  take  advantage 
of  certain  singularities  in  the  Talmud  which  are  al- 
most always  falsely  ridiculed.  Even  in  the  Talmud 
one  finds  a  poetry  of  which  any  literature  might  be 
proud." 

"  I  know  nothing  of  this  poetry,"  said  Ivas. 

"  You  have,  however,  read  quotations  from  the 
Talmud  chosen  in  such  a  way  as  to  cast  ridicule  upon 
it." 

"  No ;   I  know  almost  nothing  of  it." 

"  Are  you  curious  to  have  some  idea  of  it  ?  Would 
you  like  to  know  the  Paradise  or  the  Hell  after  the 
rabbinical  conceptions  ?  " 

"  From  preference  the  Hell,  for  human  imagination 
is  more  apt  to  represent  the  tortures  of  the  damned 
than  the  delights  of  the  elect.  Dante's  Heaven  is 
very  inferior  to  his  Hell.  Probably  it  is  the  same 
thing  with  the  Talmud." 

"  I  do  not  know.  The  description  of  the  abode 
of  the  blessed  in  the  Book  Jalkut  (7.  A.)  is  full  of 
splendour." 

"  As  for  Hell  in  the  book,  Nischmas  Khai'm,  it  is  sep- 


FROM    GENOA     TO    PISA, 


"5 


arated  from  Paradise  by  a  very  thin  wall,  symbol  of  the 
narrow  bounds  which  often  separate  vice  and  virtue. 
The  river  which  rushes  through  the  Hell  is  boiling, 
whilst  that  which  flows  through  Paradise  is  of  an  agree- 
able freshness.  Three  routes  lead  to  it :  by  the  sea, 
by  the  desert,  and  by  a  city  of  the  world.  Five  kinds 
of  fire  burn  continually  in  Hell,  of  which  the  extent  is 
sixty  times  greater  than  that  of  the  earth.  It  is  gov- 
erned by  three  chiefs.  The  most  important  of  this 
triumvirate  is  called  Dumah.  This  Dumah  has  three 
prime  ministers,  —  Ghinghums,  Taschurinia,  and  Saz- 
saris.  The  palace  of  this  demon  is  situated  in  that 
part  of  Hell  called  Bor. 

"  Hell  is  full  of  scorpions  and  serpents,  and  is  di- 
vided into  several  departments.  The  deepest  and  the 
most  frightful  serves  as  a  sewer  for  the  filth  of  the  other 
hells,  and  for  the  poison  of  the  old  serpent  that  se- 
duced Eve. 

"  The  Talmud  is  varied.  It  contains  dialogues,  con- 
troversies, dissertations,  allegories,  and  moral  tales.  Ii 
is  a  collection  of  the  writings  of  several  ages,  through 
which  one  can  follow  the  variations  in  the  Hebrew 
language.  They  have  tried  to  establish  in  this  con- 
fusion a  certain  order.  Mai'monides,  among  others, 
has  tried  it ;  but  his  book  on  this  subject,  although 
very  much  esteemed,  has  not  been  accepted  by  all. 

"  In  opposition  to  the  unbelieving  Jews  like  Ma- 
thilde's  father,  there  are  Jews  who  adhere  blindly  to 
the  Talmud,  and  put  several  rabbis  on  a  level  with 
Moses.     Others,  like  myself,  put  their  faith  in  the  Old 


Il6  THE    JEW. 

Testament,  and  are  content  to  respect  the  traditions 
related  in  the  Talmud.  At  first  by  early  Jewish  edu- 
cation, afterward  by  my  European  education,  I  became 
an  Israelite  of  a  special  kind.  The  Talmud,  from 
which  I  sought  to  draw  lessons  of  wisdom,  had  not 
made  me  superstitious.  At  the  bottom  of  my  heart 
I  guard  as  a  most  precious  treasure  my  religious 
belief.  I  do  not  repel  the  light  of  reason  nor  the  law 
of  progress,  a  negation  which  would,  in  a  way,  sepa- 
rate me  from  actual  humanity.  My  faith  and  my  rea- 
son agree  perfectly. 

"  When  I  was  called  to  Warsaw  by  my  kinsman,  I 
had  not  the  least  idea  of  the  true  situation  of  my  co- 
religionists. In  the  provinces  I  had  met  many  kinds 
of  Jews.  Some  were  so  faithful  to  their  belief  that 
they  dared  not  depart  from  the  most  useless  and  inex- 
plicable rules.  Others,  our  brothers  by  blood,  were 
no  more  ours  in  customs  and  spirit. 

"  I  approached  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  with 
lively  emotions,  anxious  for  the  future,  and  ignorant 
of  the  world  I  was  about  to  enter. 

"  The  provincial  Jews  live  and  have  lived  entirely 
separated  from  the  Christians.  Here  I  met  them  for 
the  first  time  mixed  and  confounded,  if  not  by  law,  at 
least  by  habit,  with  the  population.  At  first  I  could 
hardly  comprehend  the  thing.  I  met  Jews  who 
sought  to  conceal  their  origin,  visible  as  it  was  on 
their  Semitic  brows,  among  whom  some  were  believ- 
ers, others  complete  sceptics.  Our  race,  by  wealth,  ed- 
ucation, and  acquired  importance,  were  in  position  to 


FROM    GENOA     TO    PISA.  117 

court  and  obtain  political  and  civil  equality.  The  old 
Polish  nobles,  imbued  with  bygone  prejudices,  saw 
with  alarm  this  imminent  fusion,  and  endeavoured  to 
prevent  or  to  retard  it,  considering  always  the  children 
of  Israel  as  strangers  and  intruders.  On  both  sides 
hatred  has  been  kindled,  and  the  position  is  false  in 
both  camps.  Those  whom  daily  business  brought 
together,  whom  necessity  united,  who  had  mutual 
interests,  remained  like  armed  foes  divided  by  re- 
membrances, prejudices,  and  fanaticism. 

"  However,  victory  for  us  is  certain.  Justice  and 
the  spirit  of  the  times  render  it  inevitable ;  but  I 
digress,  as  usual. 

"  Mathilde's  father,  feeling  sure  of  his  pupil,  intro- 
duced me  into  society.  I  had  other  kindred  in 
the  capital,  and  before  long  I  had  made  many 
acquaintances. 

u  I  was  much  chagrined  by  the  sentiment  of  the 
greater  part  of  my  compatriots,  a  sentiment  incom- 
prehensible to  me,  —  of  shame  at  being  Jews.  In  the 
houses  of  the  wealthy  there  was  not  the  slightest  ves- 
tige of  the  faith  and  traditions  of  our  fathers.  The 
ancient  customs  had  disappeared,  the  religious  cere- 
monies were  not  observed.  They  concealed  them- 
selves to  celebrate  the  Sabbath. 

"  I  would  like  to  describe  some  types  of  the  com- 
munity difficult  to  characterize  in  general,  but  it  would 
take  too  long. 

"  We  made  evident  progress  ;  still  we  were  in  some 
sort  dispersed  and  enfeebled,  and  what  is  worse,  the 


II  8  THE    JEW. 

country  was  indifferent  to  us.  If  we  displayed  any 
patriotic  sentiments,  they  were  rather  affected  than 
sincere.  It  was  rather  from  pride  than  from  duty. 
We  had  almost  ceased  to  be  Jews,  and  we  knew  not 
how  to  become  Poles.  We  started,  as  it  were,  on  a 
voyage  without  compass.     Unhappy  situation  !  " 

Jacob  sighed  and  ceased  speaking.  The  darkness 
obliged  them  to  halt  at  an  inn  near  by.  It  was  a 
small  brick  house  built  on  a  hill  near  the  sea-shore. 
The  sign  bore  the  name,  Albergo  di  Tre  Corone. 

Near  the  door,  whence  streamed  the  cheerful  light 
from  a  crackling  wood-fire,  they  saw  a  cart  with  two 
horses  surrounded  by  men  clad  like  sailors  with  their 
jackets  thrown  over  their  shoulders.  A  woman  hold- 
ing an  infant  to  her  breast  was  seated  against  the 
wall.  Around  the  house  were  vineyards,  aloe  and  fig 
trees,  the  whole  scene  being  thrown  out  in  strong  re- 
lief by  the  glimmering  firelight. 

Our  travellers  relieved  themselves  of  their  bags, 
ordered  supper,  and  in  the  interval  of  waiting  went 
down  near  the  sea,  and,  seating  themselves  on  a  rock, 
listened  to  the  ebb  and  flow  of  its  murmuring  waters. 
Near  them  under  the  stunted  bushes  flew  innumerable 
fireflies,  seeming  in  the  obscurity  to  be  little  sparkling 
stars.  They  rested  mute,  in  the  silence  of  the  even- 
ing, the  prayer  of  the  tired  earth. 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


119 


CHAPTER     VII. 

VOYAGE    ON    FOOT. 

Our  companions  were  awakened  early  next  morn- 
ing by  the  coming  and  going  of  travellers  at  the  inn, 
a  noise  which  was  only  dominated  by  the  braying 
of  asses.  Jacob  and  Ivas  resolved  to  depart  imme- 
diately, and,  profiting  by  the  freshness  of  the  morning, 
to  make  up  the  time  they  had  lost  the  previous  even- 
ing. Short  stages,  such  as  that  of  the  day  before, 
threatened  if  continued  to  render  their  journey  inter- 
minable ;  but  their  excuse  was  that  their  route  lay 
through  an  enchanting  country  where  the  beauties  of 
the  landscape  made  them  forget  the  flight  of  the  days. 

They  walked  for  some  time  without  exchanging  a 
single  word.  Both  were  absorbed  in  thought.  Finally 
Ivas  broke  a  silence  which  weighed  equally  on  his 
companion. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "have  you  finished  your  history? 
I  have  your  life  in  general,  but  it  lacks  many  details. 
You  ought  to  have  something  more  to  tell  me." 

"  It  would  be  as  easy,"  replied  Jacob,  "  to  finish  my 
recital  in  two  words,  as  to  continue  it  for  two  years, 
without  even  then  exhausting  the  subject.  However, 
if  you  desire  it,  we  will  take  it  up  where  we  left  off. 

"  My  kinsman  observed  me  attentively.     My  re  flee- 


120  THE    JEW. 

tions  often  astonished  and  displeased  him.  He  found 
me  too  much  of  a  Jew,  and  when  on  Saturday  I  an- 
nounced to  him  that  I  wished  to  go  to  the  synagogue, 
it  was  with  surprise  that  he  replied  :  — 

" *  Why  ?  Do  you  wish  to  remain  faithful  to  obsolete 
prejudices  ?  ' 

"  '  Yes.     I  wish  to  remain  a  Jew.' 

"  '  Do  as  you  will,'  said  he,  '  but  know  beforehand 
that  the  point  in  question  is  to  be  a  man.  After  that, 
complete  liberty  in  religious  matters.' 

"  After  this  interview  he  looked  on  me  as  an  indi- 
vidual on  whom  he  could  count  only  up  to  a  certain 
point. 

"  One  day  he  spoke  to  me  of  a  person  who,  as  he 
said,  shared  my  convictions.  He  was  an  old  man 
named  Louis  Mann,  whom  I  knew  by  sight,  and  who 
passed  for  one  of  the  deep  thinkers  of  the  city. 

"  The  next  day  I  went  to  pay  my  respects  to  him 
at  an  hour  when  I  was  almost  certain  to  find  him  at 
home.  He  lived  with  his  wife  and  three  daughters  in 
the  first  floor  of  a  fine  mansion.  His  apartments 
were  richly  furnished,  and  his  son  lived  in  a  separate 
house  near  by. 

"  When  I  rang  the  bell  a  servant  showed  me  into  a 
little  reception-room.  A  half-open  door  permitted 
me  to  look  into  the  salon,  and  see  a  brilliant  company 
of  ladies  and  elegant  cavaliers.  I  waited  a  long  quar- 
ter of  an  hour.  Mann  then  came  in  to  see  me ;  he 
did  not  deign  to  introduce  me  to  his  family  or  guests. 
I  was  received   politely,   but  not  as  an   equal.     He 


VOYAGE    ON   FOOT.  i2i 

made  me  understand  that  he  did  me  an  honour  by 
receiving  a  homage  which  was  due  to  him  as  a  co-re- 
ligionist, but  that  he  had  no  desire  to  have  any  social 
relations  with  me. 

"  My  position  was  embarrassing  enough.  On  one 
side  ladies  dressed  in  the  latest  fashion  surrounded  the 
mistress  of  the  house,  who  was  clad  in  a  magnificent 
robe  of  embroidered  satin.  I  had  not  even  been 
asked  to  sit  down,  as  Monsieur  Mann  evidently  dis- 
dained my  unfashionable  clothes.  His  pride  did  not 
hurt  me  ;  in  spite  of  my  poverty  I  had  a  most  pro- 
found sentiment  of  self-respect,  and  it  made  me  feel 
for  this  person  puffed  up  with  his  own  importance 
more  pity  than  resentment. 

"  He  began  to  give  me  advice,  mentioning  the 
names  of  many  rich  Israelites  and  dignitaries  of  the 
highest  places,  happy  to  let  me  see  that  he  had  inti- 
mate relations  with  these  distinguished  men.  What 
did  it  matter?  Wishing  to  dazzle  me,  he  laid  bare 
his  littleness,  and  I  remember  perfectly  the  glitter  of 
three  decorations  that  ornamented  his  morning  coat. 

" '  Young  man,'  said  he  in  a  solemn  voice,  '  I  am 
rejoiced  that  your  most  worthy  kinsman  has  tendered 
you  a  helping  hand.  By  your  assiduity  and  labour 
try  to  recompense  him  and  render  yourself  useful  to 
our  race.  We  are  all  disposed  to  assist  you,  but  you 
must  make  yourself  worthy  of  us.' 

"  Still  speaking,  he  looked  at  the  door  without  even 
condescending  to  turn  his  head  toward  me.  As  he 
finished  speaking    there   entered  a  lovely  young  girl 


122  THE    JEW. 

who  scanned  me  with  half- closed  eyes,  then  ap- 
proached her  father,  put  her  arm  around  his  neck  and 
whispered  something  in  his  ear  without  granting  me 
the  least  recognition. 

"That  was  enough.  There  was  nothing  for  me  to 
do  but  retire  as  soon  as  possible.  Mann,  not  think- 
ing of  detaining  me,  dismissed  me  coldly  and  entered 
the  salon. 

"  I  learned  later  on  that  he  had  done  many  benevo- 
lent actions,  but,  right  or  wrong,  I  have  always  attrib- 
uted them  to  his  extreme  vanity.  I  ought  to  be 
grateful  that  in  difficulties  he  has  always  put  himself 
forward  as  the  protector  of  the  Jews.  Far  from  being 
ashamed  of  his  origin,  he  proclaimed  it  aloud  and 
gloried  in  it.  It  was,  perhaps,  because  he  wished  to 
pass  as  the  representative  of  his  people  and  be  cele- 
brated. Many  times  even  he  has  agitated  the  subject 
in  a  perfectly  useless  and  stupid  manner. 

"  Mann  was  apparently  a  chief,  but  his  followers 
were  composed  of  a  phalanx  of  adroit  advisers  who 
knew  well  how  to  accustom  him  to  adopt  their  ideas 
as  his  own. 

"  His  house  was  always  open  to  visitors  who  con- 
sidered him,  or  pretended  to  consider  him,  as  the 
influential  leader  of  the  Jewish  population  of  the  city. 
Never  did  an  exterior  so  well  correspond  to  the 
character  of  a  man.  Short  and  corpulent,  with  broad 
shoulders,  he  had  the  air  of  carrying  the  world  on  his 
back,  a  crushing  weight  for  others,  but  insignificant 
for  a  person  of  his  calibre.  In  private  life  he  played 
willingly  enough  the  role  of  querulous  benefactor. 


VOYAGE    ON   FOOT.  ^3 

"  111  other  respects  an  honest  man,  his  Jewish 
orthodoxy,  although  lacking  sincerity,  was,  at  least,  a 
satisfaction  to  his  pompous  vanity.  Under  a  mask  of 
religion  he  equalled  my  kinsman  in  scepticism.  They 
both  had  one  real  sentiment,  —  hatred  for  the  nobility ; 
and  as  I  did  not  look  on  things  as  they  did,  they 
seemed  to  me  extremely  unjust.  They  concealed  this 
enmity  as  much  as  possible  ;  they  lived  on  good  terms 
with  many  of  the  nobles,  and  even  made  them  great 
demonstrations  of  friendship.  It  was  a  comedy  on 
both  sides. 

"Would  you  know  the  Jews  in  their  worst  light, 
then  ask  a  Polish  noble.  Would  you  learn  the  vices 
and  follies  of  the  nobility,  question  a  Jew. 

"The  populous  city  was  a  large  field  of  study  for  a 
curious  observer  like  myself.  I  sought  to  learn  the 
inmost  character  of  the  people  of  Israel.  My  at- 
tachment to  them  dated  from  infancy,  and  for  a  long 
while  I  hoped  to  consecrate  my  life  to  the  amelioration 
of  my  race.  Still  weak,  unknown,  without  influence 
and  without  knowledge,  I  could  hardly  believe  myself 
equal  to  the  role  to  which  I  aspired  j  but  an  interior 
voice  encouraged  me.  I  dreamed  of  regenerating 
the  Polish  Israelites.  But  in  this  dream  I  did  not  be- 
lieve that  the  reform  would  commence  in  the  higher 
classes.  These  were  they  who  above  all  were  an  ob- 
stacle to  my  mission,  through  systematic  indifference, 
always  a  thing  more  difficult  to  overcome  than  the 
most  inveterate  prejudice. 

(<  The  question  being  more  complex  than  I  had  at 


124  THE   7EW- 

first  supposed,  I  found  it  necessary  to  acquire  a  more 
solid  instruction  in  order  to  combat  it.  I  consecrated 
anew  all  my  leisure  to  reading  the  Bible  and  its  com- 
mentaries. At  the  outset  my  sojourn  at  Warsaw  was 
sustained  by  sweet  illusions,  and  my  daily  meetings  in 
the  city  were  very  profitable  to  my  intelligence.  Con- 
versations with  this  one  and  that  one  showed  me  the 
urgency  of  a  reform  to  purify  the  Talmud  and  affirm 
the  Bible  and  its  teachings.  The  enterprise  promised 
to  be  no  less  successful  with  mocking  sceptics  like  my 
cousin,  than  with  sincere  fanatics  whose  sins  were  only 
excess  of  credulity. 

"  I  really  do  not  know  how  the  idea  of  such  a 
gigantic  project  originated  in  my  mind.  Humblest  of 
men,  I  only  know  that  I  had  a  confidence  in  myself 
which  increased  with  difficulties.  In  place  of  discour- 
aging me,  obstacles  only  enlarged  the  circle  of  my 
activity.  I  was  in  no  haste  to  set  to  work.  I  wished 
above  all  to  discover  the  ground  and  the  weak  point 
of  my  adversaries.  That  which  frightened  me,  with- 
out making  me  renounce  my  project,  was  the  great 
number  of  atheists  among  the  Israelites. 

"  Mann  and  my  cousin  were  not  the  only  leaders  of 
unbelief.  Always  and  everywhere  in  the  ruling  class 
I  met  counterparts  of  these  two  men.  The  lower 
class  offered  me  some  consolation.  "  Among  them, 
though  belief  might  be  extinguished,  religious  customs 
still  existed.  There  was  often  an  abyss  between  true 
religion  and  its  practice  whose  corruption  was  great, 
but  at  times  there  appeared  an  instance  of  virtue, 
radiant  and  pure. 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


™5 


"  Everything  assured  me  that  my  idea  of  reform 
was  a  just  one,  and  that  the  propitious  hour  was  not 
far  off  when  I  should  become  the  instrument  of  God 
for  the  advancement  of  the  people  of  Israel." 

Jacob  arose  from  his  seat  on  the  rock  as  he  spoke, 
and  his  face  shone  with  a  superb  and  devout  inspira- 
tion. 

"  And  the  streets  of  Warsaw  did  not  make  you  lose 
your  illusions?"  asked  Ivas  smiling. 

"  Not  at  all.  The  thought  that  I  carried  from  my 
distant  province  I  preserved  in  the  Polish  capital.  I 
have  published  it  in  my  journeys,  and  I  will  take  it 
back  to  Poland.     The  thought  is  my  life  !  " 

"  Alas  !  "  cried  Ivas,  "  you  come  too  late.  The 
days  of  the  prophets  and  the  lawgivers  are  past. 
Proselytism  is  not  possible  in  an  epoch  where  each 
individual  feels  himself  as  capable  as  his  neighbour  of 
reasoning,  of  reforming,  and  of  advancing  by  following 
his  own  impulses.  No  one  will  permit  himself  in 
these  days  to  be  led  by  the  hand  like  a  child." 

"  You  are  mistaken.  Prophets  are  of  all  times,  and, 
as  general  education  is  perfected,  a  guide  is  necessary 
to  indicate  the  end  to  be  obtained,  and  to  conduct 
the  masses  by  the  power  of  superior  virtue." 

"  Have  you,  then,  the  hope  of  raising  yourself  to 
that  position?  " 

"  I  know  not.  But  the  sentiment  of  this  mission 
would  not  have  taken  such  root  in  my  soul  if  it  came 
not  from  God.  If  I  think  to  shrink  from  the  task,  a 
superior  power  orders  me  to  advance." 


\z6  THE    JEW. 

"  Poor  dreamer  !  "  thought  Ivas. 

"  The  burden  is  heavy,"  Jacob  continued ;  "I  do 
not  ignore  that.  My  personal  worth  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  thing.  My  object  is  so  sublime  that  it 
awes  me.  But,"  said  he  suddenly,  "  you  do  not  ap- 
pear to  comprehend  me." 

"  No  matter,  I  admire  you  !  "  replied  the  young  Pole, 
shaking  his  companion's  hand  warmly.  "I  know 
very  little  of  the  Israelites,  but  I  sympathize  with  them. 
Your  race  resembles  ours.  An  ingenious  Muscovite 
teacher,  in  one  of  his  manuals  for  the  schools  where 
history  is  learned  by  questions  and  answers,  has  put 
the  following  question  :  '  Which  are  the  nations  with- 
out a  country  ? '  The  official  reply  is  :  '  The  Jews, 
the  Gypsies,  and  the  Poles.'  I  have  never  forgotten 
that  wicked  irony  of  a  Russian  teacher.  Between  you 
and  me  there  is  a  likeness,  and  at  the  same  time  an 
unlikeness.  Your  oppression  dates  back  to  ages 
whose  very  antiquity  is  in  one  way  an  excuse  for  bar- 
barism, while  ours  dates  from  an  age  that  has  taken 
for  its  device  '  Fraternity,  equality,  and  liberty ! ' 
Compared  with  other  people  in  this  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, except,  perhaps,  the  Irish,  our  destiny  is  a  fright- 
ful anachronism.     But  to  return  to  the  Jews." 

"You  know  me  much  better  now,"  continued 
Jacob  slowly.  "  You  see  before  you  a  fanatic,  an 
original,  an  eccentric,  a  man  who  believes,  who  hopes, 
who  has  a  determined  aim  in  life.  I  have  undertaken 
my  journey  only  to  prepare  myself  better  for  the  exe- 
cution of  my  project.     I  am  more   convinced   than 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


127 


ever  of  the  necessity  of  the  ta.sk  which  I  have  as- 
sumed. I  have  seen  the  Jews  in  almost  every  land. 
Everywhere  I  have  found  in  them  the  two  maladies 
which  poison  my  co-religionists  in  Poland,  —  indiffer- 
ence or  unbelief,  which  renders  us  cosmopolites; 
fanaticism,  or  ignorance,  which  puts  on  us  the  ban  of 
humanity.  These  two  dangerous  elements  threaten 
to  extend.  Israel  will  disappear  from  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  like  all  nations  who  repudiate  their  glorious 
past,  like  nations  detached  from  the  maternal  breast 
of  humanity,  which  live  an  exclusive  life  exhausting 
and  extinguishing  themselves.  Israel  has  great  need 
of  regeneration." 

"And  you  expect  to  be  the  regenerator?  " 

•<  I  count  only  on  indicating  the  work.  What  reason 
should  hinder  me  from  putting  my  hand  to  the  task 
for  which  I  have  prepared  myself  with  assiduity  and 
perseverance.     The  will  is  an  immense  force. 

"  After  my  visit  to  Mann,  my  cousin  asked  me  what 
impression  I  had  formed  of  this  man  whom  he  knew 
better  than  I.  He  sought,  no  doubt,  by  this  question 
to  better  understand  my  humble  self. 

" '  I  found  him,'  replied  I,  '  so  occupied  that  it  was 
a  trouble  to  receive  me.' 

"  ?  Did  he  not  receive  you  well  ?  ' 

"  '  Yes.     But '  — 

" '  Bah  !  You  must  not  attach  importance  to  his 
reception.  He  is  a  boor  whose  grossness  is  only 
partly  concealed.  At  heart  he  is  an  honest  and  ex- 
cellent  man.' 


128  THE    JEW. 

"  We  arose  from  the  table,  the  ladies  passed  into 
the  salon,  and  my  cousin  led  me  to  his  study,  where 
he  drew  from  me  a  detailed  report  of  my  visit. 

"  '  I  am  young,'  added  I  in  finishing,  '  and  I  have 
therefore  nothing  to  seek.  At  all  events,  I  have  no 
desire  to  see  him  again.' 

"  *  On  the  contrary  !  On  the  contrary  !  You  must 
go  to  see  him  often.  Shake  off  your  timidity.  With 
men  in  general  be  bold  without  impertinence.  The 
less  you  treat  them  with  respect,  the  more  consider- 
ation they  will  have  for  you.  Abase  yourself,  and  they 
will  put  you  under  their  feet.' 

" '  You  are  right,'  replied  I ;  '  nevertheless  I  cannot 
change  myself;  I  cannot  be  bold  by  reflection  nor 
calculation,  nor  humble  by  interest.  It  is  unfortunate 
to  have  so  little  control  over  one's  self,  but  it  would  be 
in  vain  for  me  to  attempt  to  change  my  nature.' 

"  '  Then  you  will  never  amount  to  anything.  In 
the  world,  in  order  to  succeed,  one  must  play  a  con- 
tinual part ;  one  must  know  how  to  be  humble  when 
one  is  really  proud,  and  to  show  one's  self  valiant  when 
paralyzed  by  fear.  Otherwise  one  is  exposed  to  im- 
positions, dominated  over  and  crushed.  You  must 
crush  or  be  crushed  ;  which  would  you  rather  do  ?  ' 

"'So  wretched  a  rule  of  conduct,'  said  I,  'will 
never  be  mine.  My  principles  are  absolutely  dif- 
ferent. I  look  on  life  as  a  grave  and  serious  mission ; 
as  for  yourself,  excuse  my  frankness,  it  is  not  a  role 
learned  in  advance  for  the  theatre.' 

"  '  Oh,  I  do  not  mind,'  said  he  j  '  but  our  two  systems 


..VOYAGE    OAT  FOOT.  129 

differ  because  you  have  too  good  an  opinion  of  men. 
Yours  is  fine  in  appearance,  detestable  in  results. 
Open  your  heart,  unveil  your  inmost  thoughts,  it  is  to 
deliver  them  voluntarily  as  food  for  men  whom  reason 
commands  us  to  despise  as  our  natural  enemies.' 

"  '  I  would  rather,'  cried  I,  '  regard  them  as 
brothers  !  '  My  cousin  laughed  ironically  and  stroked 
his  beard. 

" '  My  dear,'  added  he,  (  it  matters  not  what  you 
prefer,  but  what  really  exists.  I  have  never  sup- 
posed that  you  were  so  innocent.  All  the  bucolic 
pictures  of  mankind  are  very  well  in  paintings,  tap- 
estries, or  screens,  but  in  practical  life  to  believe  in 
Utopia  is  always  to  remain  a  dupe.  At  times  man  is 
good  and  honest,  but  he  inclines  more  frequently  to 
evil.  Js  it  not  worth  while  to  lean  on  a  normal  state 
rather  than  on  exceptions  of  short  duration  ?  ' 

"  ■  But  humanity  will  perfect  itself.' 

"  *  When  ?  How  ?  All  nonsense  !  Industry  will 
advance,  implements  will  be  perfected  so  that  we  may 
be  nourished  and  clad,  commerce  will  develop,  but  not 
man.  That  which  makes  life  easy  for  the  masses  is  a 
benefit,  and  yet  the  question  is  not  determined  whether 
all  this  progress  corrupts  or  elevates  mankind.  The 
question  is  not  settled.  We  must  use  men  like  tools 
to  elevate  ourselves,  and  not  lose  time  by  loving  them 
as  a  whole.  The  useless  ought  to  be  put  out  of  the 
way  without  pity.  The  capable  we  must  learn  to  make 
use  of.  Behold  my  theory  !  Your's  leads  to  nothing. 
Sensibility  is  a  disease,  a  malady  of  the  worst  kind.' 


130  THE    JEW. 

"  This  terrible  theory  did  not  frighten  me ;  I  was 
prepared  to  hear  it.  This  was  for  me  a  decisive  and 
memorable  day.  It  brought  together,  and  at  the  same 
time  drew  apart,  my  mentor  and  myself.  He  contin- 
ued, looking  me  in  the  face  :  — 

" *  As  I  wish  you  well,  not  from  a  morbid  sensibility, 
but  to  make  of  you  a  man  who  may  be  useful  to  me, 
I  will  give  you  one  more  word  of  advice.  You  have  a 
habit,  as  if  to  distinguish  yourself,  of  boasting  con- 
tinually of  being  a  Jew.  It  is  ridiculous,  and  will 
injure  you  seriously.' 

" '  It  would,  I  think,  be  still  more  ridiculous  to  wish 
to  conceal  it,  and  that  I  will  never  do,'  replied  I,  '.  for 
I  am  strongly  attached  to  my  race  and  to  my  belief. 
By  simple  calculation,  even,  would  it  not  be  a  hundred 
times  better  to  declare  my  origin  than  to  conceal  it, 
that  it  may  afterward  be  thrown  in  my  face  as  an 
insult  ? ' 

"  '  But  why  recall  your  origin  everywhere  you  go  ? ' 

"  '  Because  I  am  proud  of  it.' 

"  '  Proud,  and  why?  That  is  inconceivable.  Juda- 
ism was,  perhaps,  in  former  times  our  shield  and 
buckler,  but  it  is  no  longer  so.' 

"  '  But  our  religion,'  commenced  I. 

"  f  Our  religion  !  What  is  it  more  than  other 
religions?  They  are"  all  alike.  So  much  .milk  for 
babes.  You  believe,  then,  that  it  is  wicked  to  yoke 
together  an  ox  and  an  ass  for  labour,  or  to  mix  blood 
with  milk,  or  silk  with  wool,  and  that  whoever  does 
not  keep  these  old  rules  and  reply  Amen  to  them 
will  so  to  hell  ? ' 


VOYAGE    ON    FOOT. 


13* 


"  '  I  respect  even  these  old  ordinances  of  my  faith, 
difficult  as  they  are  to  explain.  I  see  the  reason  in 
the  law  of  Moses  of  the  order  not  to  mix  grains  in  the 
fields :  it  is  a  wise  agricultural  measure.  To  forbid 
two  animals  working  together,  one  of  whom  is  much 
weaker  than  the  other,  is  a  protection  for  the  beasts. 
Not  to  mix  blood  and  milk  is  probably  a  good  hygienic 
law.  Not  to  wear  silk  and  wool  at  the  same  time  can 
pass  for  a  sumptuary  law,  designed  as  a  lesson  against 
superfluous  luxury.  In  general,  all  these  prohibitions 
against  mixing  species  are  symbols  of  the  necessity  that 
there  is  for  Israelites  not  to  mix  with  other  nations. 
I  respect  these  rules  even  when  I  cannot  explain 
them.  The  '  Amen  '  in  the  schools  is  a  duty,  for  not 
to  assent  to  the  rabbins  is  to  show  unbelief.' 

"My  cousin  listened,  astonished  at  the  enthusiasm 
of  my  answer,  then  he  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

" '  You  had  better  get  rid  of  these  prejudices,'  said 
he. 

"  <  If  they  were  prejudices,  you  would  be  right,  but 
you  cannot  call  respected  traditions  prejudices.  It  is 
to  put  our  faith  in  danger." 

"'What  is  faith?' 

"  *  The  definition  is  unintelligible  to  those  who  do 
not  feel  the  need  of  it.' 

" '  It  is  easy  to  recognize,  in  listening  to  you,  the 
teachings  of  your  first  fanatical  masters.' 

"  *  I  do  not  dream  of  shaking  off  the  teachings  of 
childhood.  They  have  made  me  a  member  of  God's 
chosen  people.     Leave  me  my  convictions.' 


132  THE    JEW. 

"  *  Keep  them,  if  you  will.  Your  whims  will  depart 
of  themselves.  All  I  ask  is  that  you  keep  them  to 
yourself.  Actual  society  is  tolerant,  but  it  does  not 
like  fanaticism,  for  that  always  denotes  a  narrow  mind 
or  an  unhealthy  state.  Truly  none  of  us  forgets  that 
he  is  a  Jew,  but  it  is  unnecessary  and  injurious  for  one 
to  be  perpetually  clothed  in  his  Judaism.' 

"  The  life  of  my  guardian  conformed  in  all  things 
to  his  principles.  He  was  guided  by  cold  reason, 
sometimes  also  by  passion,  which  he  knew  well  how  to 
bridle,  but  never  by  sentiment,  of  which  he  was  either 
destitute,  or  from  which  he  strove  to  deliver  himself. 
I  know  not  if  he  was  fashioned  thus  by  nature  or 
by  education,  but  each  one  of  his  steps  was  regu- 
lated by  self-interest.  He  put  calculation  above  all 
things.  He  loved  his  daughter,  but  in  his  own  way ; 
he  had  disposed  of  her,  as  he  thought,  excellently,  and 
had  brought  her  up  to  conform  to  his  ideas. 

"  A  terrible  despot  under  a  benign  form,  he  had  a 
conservative  instinct  to  undertake  nothing  that  was 
not  certain  to  succeed.  Fighting  against  obstacles, 
where  to  draw  back  would  have  been  an  avowal  of 
his  weakness,  he  almost  always  succeeded  where  other 
men  failed. 

"  He  now  endeavoured  to  widen  the  circle  of  my  ac- 
quaintances. In  spite  of  my  distaste  to  pushing  myself 
on  in  this  way,  he  did  not  cease  to  preach  to  me  that  I 
must  take  men  by  storm.  He  often  took  me  to  visit 
people  who  were  odious  to  him ;  for  these  he  reserved 
his  most  gracious  smiles,  his  most  cordial  protestations. 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


J33 


He  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  all  offensive  allusions,  and  did 
not  appear  to  notice  the  indifference  of  this  one  nor 
the  ostensible  malevolence  of  another.  He  had  such 
control  over  himself  that  things  which  completely  up- 
set me  did  not  seem  to  make  the  least  impression  on 
him.  He  contented  himself  with  biting  his  lips 
and  smiling.  But  afterward  the  reaction  was  violent, 
and  the  more  his  irritation  had  been  restrained  the 
more  violent  was  his  hatred  when  he  had  taken  off  the 
mask.  Reason,  which  always  predominated  with  him, 
was  the  only  thing  which  kept  him  from  passing  the 
bounds  prescribed  by  prudence. 

"  From  the  first  year  of  my  sojourn  in  Warsaw  he 
initiated  me  into  the  world  of  speculators,  where  one 
must  know  how  to  defend  one's  self  in  order  not  to  be 
crushed.  Every  day  I  felt  myself  less  adapted  to  such 
a  life.  What  shocked  me  most  was  the  continual  ly- 
ing ;  hardly  any  one  thought  of  speaking  the  truth.  I 
adopted  a  different  line  of  conduct,  —  an  audacious 
frankness. 

"Men,  who  always  judge  others  by  themselves, 
imagined  that  I  played  an  easy  part,  and  that  I  acted 
thus  by  calculation.  I  succeeded  well  enough  in 
business,  but  in  the  midst  of  rogues  of  all  kinds  I 
passed  equally  for  a  rogue,  an  impostor  of  a  new 
school  who  played  with  truth.  I  acquired  the  repu- 
tation of  being  a  good  actor.  This  troubled  me  a 
little,  but  it  gave  me  the  measure  of  men  of  our  epoch 
who  have  for  their  motto  :  lMundus  vult  decipi  ergo 
decipiatu-r? 


134  THE   JEW- 

"  Mathilde,  in  these  early  days,  was  my  only  conso- 
lation. You  already  know  that  I  loved  her ;  you  know 
that  our  love  resembled  a  flower  concealed  in  the  grass. 
For  her,  at  least,  I  was  neither  a  knave  nor  a  comedian. 
A  sentiment  clearer  than  reason  gave  her  confidence  in 
my  words.  Our  conversations  were  not  like  those  of 
lovers.  By  an  inexplicable  mystery  Mathilde's  heart 
had  not  been  chilled  by  her  education.  Many  things 
were  not  alluded  to  in  our  discussions,  which  almost 
always  took  place  in  the  presence  of  her  governess.  I 
did  not  like  to  let  her  know  my  opinion  of  her  father, 
for  whom  she  bore  a  lively  affection,  which  it  was  not 
my  wish  to  disturb.  I  also  loved  him  in  spite  of  his 
perversity.  Some  allusions  from  Mathilde  made  me 
understand  that  he  also  had  suffered  in  his  youth. 

"My  guardian  knew  how  to  gratify  his  desires 
without  infringing  the  strictest  propriety  or  the  most 
severe  decorum.  It  was  known,  perhaps,  but  no  one 
ever  saw  the  least  impropriety  in  his  conduct. 

"  For  a  year  he  spoke  to  me  no  more  of  religion. 
At  the  end  of  that  period,  accidentally,  perhaps,  rather 
than  by  deliberation,  he  renewed  the  conversation. 
No  doubt  he  wished  to  know  if  my  prolonged  sojourn 
in  Warsaw  had  modified  my  ideas  and  calmed  my 
enthusiasm.  Finding  me  absolutely  unchanged,  he 
abruptly  changed  the  subject. 

"Some  days  after,  he  mentioned  to  me  houses 
where  I  ought  to  pay  frequent  visits,  hoping  that  the 
influence  of  those  I  met  at  them  would  act  on  my  sen- 
timents and  ideas.     He  recommended  to  me  a  family 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


135 


very  important  among  the  Israelites.  This  family  was 
descended  from  the  tribe  of  Levi,  and  numbered 
several  members  living  together  in  perfect  harmony, 
although  one  remained  a  Jew,  another  had  embraced 
Protestantism,  and  a  third  had  become  a  Catholic. 
My  cousin  approved  this  family  as  a  model  of  indif- 
ference in  religious  matters.  Pleasing  to  him,  the 
spectacle   scandalized  me. 

"  The  melancholy  which  reigned  in  Mathilde's  soul 
I  discovered  also  more  or  less  developed  in  most  of 
the  women  of  her  race,  who  can  be  divided  into  two 
categories :  frivolous  women  without  principle,  and 
women  obliged  to  conceal  their  noble  instincts,  know- 
ing them  forbidden." 

The  entire  day  was  passed  in  conversation  which 
gave  Ivas  much  to  think  of,  and  although  the  friends 
rode  on  their  donkeys,  and  two  days  had  passed 
since  their  departure,  they  were  yet  not  far  from 
Genoa. 

Night  found  them  in  a  little  village  on  the  sea-shore, 
near  hills  crowned  with  cypress,  palms,  and  orange 
trees ;  the  huts  were  covered  with  ivy  and  surrounded 
by  myrtle  and  laurels. 

They  sought  a  lodging,  and  engaged  one  in  a 
narrow  street  whose  houses  were  built  over  ancient 
arches  sunk  in  the  middle  of  a  hillock.  In  the. dis- 
tance a  travelling-carriage  without  horses  announced 
a  hotel. 

"What  a  meeting!"  cried  Ivas.  "Unless  the 
Italian  carriages  resemble  each  other  like  drops  of 


136  THE    JEW. 

water,  I  swear  that  is  the  one  which  carried  Mon- 
sieur and  Madame  Segel  from  Genoa." 

Jacob  stopped  short  at  the  same  moment.  He  recog- 
nized Mathilde's  husband  standing  at  the  door  of  the 
inn  near  a  woman  who,  from  her  height  and  figure, 
bore  no  resemblance  to  his  wife. 

"  It  is  a  hallucination  !  It  is  not  possible  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  Jew. 

"There  is  no  doubt.  It  is  Segel;  it  is  he  !  "  said 
Ivas. 

Jacob's  heart  beat  violently. 

"  Yet,"  added  he,  as  if  to  explain  the  reality,  "  they 
should  be  far  from  here,  even  supposing  some  acci- 
dent had  happened  to  their  carriage.  It  is  singular. 
—  Yes,  it  is  Henri  —  perhaps  she  is  ill,  she  —  Let 
us  seek  another  inn.  It  will  be  awkward  for  all. 
Ivas,  go  and  assure  yourself  of  this  thing." 

The  Jew  seated  himself  near  a  cafe"  bearing  the 
motto,  Del  Gran  Colombo.  A  quarter  of  an  hour 
later  the  messenger  returned.  He  seemed  sur- 
prised. 

"  Well,  how  is  it?  "  asked  Jacob. 

"  Very  strange.     It  is  he,  but  —  it  is  not  she." 

"  You  dream  !  Your  eyes  deceived  you,  without 
doubt." 

"  No,  I  never  forget  a  face.  This  one  is  a  young 
Italian,  fresh  and  gay.  Impossible  to  compare  her 
with  Madame  Mathilde  :  she  is  heaven,  this  one  the 
earth." 

"  Then  the  man  cannot  be  Henri !  " 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


x37 


"Certainly  it  is  he." 

"Are  they  alone  together?" 

"All  alone,  like  turtle-doves.  Madame  or  mad- 
emoiselle eats  peaches,  throws  side  glances  at  Segel, 
laughs  and  sings." 

"  I  must  see  it  with  my  own  eyes,"  said  Jacob. 

The  friends  approached  the  inn,  and  Jacob  soon  as- 
sured himself  that  it  was  Henri,  accompanied  by  an 
unknown  woman  with  all  the  fascinations  of  an  opera- 
dancer. 

He  was  about  leaving  when  Henri  Segel  saw  him, 
saluted  him  gayly,  and  drew  near. 

"  Is  that  you?  "  cried  he.  "You  have  caught  me 
in  flagrante  delicto.  Poor  Mathilde  is  sick.  She 
returned  to  Genoa  after  having  accompanied  me  as 
far  as  Nervi.  She  will  remain  there  quietly  for  a 
fortnight.  As  for  myself,  I  needed  distraction,  and,  by 
chance,  I  met  an  old  acquaintance,  la  Signora  Gigante, 
a  French  opera- dancer,  who  is  the  best  of  company. 
Bored  and  wearied  as  I  am  by  the  monotony  of  life, 
I  seized  this  occasion  to  enjoy  myself.  One  must 
laugh  sometimes.  Gigante  is  as  simple-hearted  and 
gay  as  a  child.  You  have  no  idea  how  amusing  she 
is.  She  has  drawn  me  from  the  monotony  of  my  ex- 
istence." 

He  confessed  all  this  naturally  and  without  em- 
barrassment. 

Jacob,  stupefied,  could  hardly  believe  his  ears,  and 
knew  not  what  to  reply. 

"  Mathilde,"  added  the  husband,  "  as  you  know,  is  the 


138  THE    JEW. 

most  beautiful  and  accomplished  of  women  ;  but  such 
ideal  creatures  are  fatiguing.  It  is  not  always  agree- 
able to  talk  of  serious  things  in  a  solemn  tone.  A 
man  occupied  as  I  am  needs  sometimes  to  breathe 
easily.  Gigante  is  an  admirable  clown  in  petticoats. 
Come,  come,  you  will  sup  with  us.  You  will  laugh  ! 
You  will  be  amused,  I  assure  you." 

Jacob  felt  a  great  wrath  grow  in  him.  He  laughed 
savagely. 

"  I  accept  willingly,"  said  he  ironically ;  "  life  is 
made  only  for  amusement." 

Gigante,  no  longer  able  to  repress  her  curiosity, 
drew  near  in  order  to  ascertain  who  the  two  strangers 
were  that  examined  her  with  so  much  curiosity.  Her 
attention  was  bestowed  principally  on  Jacob,  as  Ivas, 
poorly  clad,  promised  little.  She  tripped  toward  them 
singing,  and  the  refrain  echoed  in  the  street  in  bursts 
of  gayety. 

"  Je  suis  seule  depuis  longtemps, 

Seule,  seulette. 
Eh,  je  suis  veuve  en  noon  printemps, 

Veuve  et  fillette; 
Pas  d'espoir  d'horizon  vermeil 

Pour  moi  seulette, 
II  manque  a  mon  ciel  ton  soleil, 

Veuve  et  fillette." 

Segel  began  to  laugh  on  hearing  this  couplet,  which 
she  accompanied  with  very  expressive  gestures.  With- 
out finishing  the  song  she  began  to  sing  another,  the 
melancholy  words  of  which  clashed  with  the  joyous  air, 


VOYAGE    ON   FOOT.  139 

f  Elle  a  perdu  son  tourtereau, 

Pauvre  tourterelle ! 
Elle  erre  seule  au  bord  de  l'eau 

En  trainant  son  aile; 
Elle  fuit  les  nids  aux  chansons 

Que  l'amour  e'pele; 
Elle  fuit  les  fleurs  des  buissons 

Sans  attrait  pour  elle; 
Et  se  baigne  dans  le  ruisseau 

Seule  mais  fidele. 
Quel  tourment !  plus  de  tourtereau  ! 

Pauvre  tourterelle !  " 

By  a  lively  pantomime  she  acted  the  poor  turtle- 
dove. The  lost  turtle-dove  was,  without  doubt,  Henri 
Segel,  who  almost  burst  his  sides  laughing.  The 
signora  after  this  exhibition  drew  near  her  cavalier, 
who  presented  the  two  gentlemen. 

"  Ah  !  Signori  Polachi !  I  like  the  Poles  exceed- 
ingly," cried  she,  turning  toward  Jacob.  "  E  Viva 
la  povera  Pologna  !  Ah,  ah,  ah  !  Is  it  true  that 
in  your  country  it  is  so  cold  that  sometimes  the  fowls 
freeze  in  winter,  and  do  not  thaw  out  until  spring  ? 
Bologne  —  Pologne  ;  same  thing,  isn't  it  ?  Have  you 
been  at  Genoa?  Did  you  go  to  the  theatre?  I  dance 
and  I  sing  at  Carlo  Felici.  I  am  at  the  head  of  the 
chorus.  I  am  promised  before  long  the  role  of 
mezzo-soprano.  Have  you  seen  me  play  the  sorceress  ? 
No?     That's  too  bad." 

"  Dear  Gigante,"  interrupted  Henri,  "  if  you  tell 
everything  at  once  there  will  be  no  more  to  say." 

"  I  know  more  songs  than  any  one  else,"  replied  she 


140  THE    JEW. 

gayly.  "  I  have  a  throat  full.  And  if  I  can  find  no 
more  to  say,  I  can  look  at  these  gentlemen.  That 
will  drive  you  wild  with  jealousy." 

"  But  I  am  not  jealous." 

"  How  !  Not  jealous?  You  ought  to  be  if  you  love 
me.     That  is  a  part  of  the  role." 

"We  will  love  each  other  —  until  Lucca." 

"  What  matters  it  ?  Before  we  arrive  at  Lucca  you 
will  be  dead  in  love.  And  you,  messieurs,  artists  who 
go  on  foot,  where  are  you  going  will  you  permit  me  to 
ask?" 

"  We  go  to  Pisa." 

"To  Pisa?  A  dead  city,  a  great  cemetery.  The 
Arno  is  like  a  dirty  old  ditch.  You  had  better  come 
with  us  to  Lucca.  There  I  will  give  you  all  three  a  fig 
and  adieu." 

Then  she  commenced  to  sing  again  a  merry  song. 

Jacob  listened,  and  a  feeling  of  weakness  came  over 
him ;  his  brow  was  clouded,  and,  without  replying,  he 
left  this  joyous  company,  giving  a  headache  as  an 
excuse,  and  leaving  Ivas  to  listen  to  Gigante.  He  was 
overcome  with  rage  and  emotion. 

The  husband  of  the  poor  forsaken  Mathilde  giving 
himself  up  to  such  distractions  !  It  was  easy  to  guess 
from  this  scene  what  her  life  was.  Jacob  .suffered  for 
her,  and  experienced  a  sensation  of  chagrin  that  he 
had  not  remained  in  Genoa  where  he  could  have  been 
alone  with  her. 

But  soon  he  blushed  at  the  thought  that  he  would 
have  dared  to  profit  by  the  absence  of  Henri.     "  All 


VOYAGE    ON    FOOT.  ^ 

is  for  the  best,"  thought  he.  "  I  ought  not  to  trouble 
her  repose  by  my  presence,  for  that  would  open  old 
wounds  in  her  heart,  as  in  mine.  Destiny  has  sepa- 
rated us.  Great  duties  are  before  me.  Her  sadness 
increases.  We  have  no  right  to  glide  into  a  paradise 
the  entrance  to  which  is  forbidden.  Fate  urges  me 
with  an  implacable  lash.     Let  us  go  !  " 

Ivas  returned  to  his  lodgings  late  that  night,  after 
copious  libations  and  a  thousand  jokes  with  the 
coquette,  Gigante,  who  could  not  conceive  any  one 
indifferent  to  her,  and  had  tried  to  interest  them  both 
at  the  same  time.  Signor  Enrico,  during  his  little 
affair,  had  given  himself  the  name  of  Don  Fernando, 
so  as  to  pass  for  a  Spaniard.  He  was  very  proud  of 
the  conquest,  and  acted  as  foolishly  as  his  companion. 

Ivas  carolled,  as  he  entered,  a  verse  of  a  song  he 
had  learned  from  Gigante.  He  was  troubled  and 
ashamed  when  he  saw  Jacob  reading  the  Bible.  It 
was  his  custom  when  he  was  sad  to  read  the  Prophets, 
the  Psalms,  and  the  Book  of  Job. 

Ivas  went  to  bed,  but  Jacob  continued  reading  until 
at  last  the  feeble  light  of  the  lamp  forced  him  to 
cease.  He  arose  and  walked  up  and  down  the  room, 
lost  in  deep  and  painful  thoughts. 

Ivas  could  not  sleep.  Sympathy  with  his  sorrowing 
friend  and  a  little  shame  on  his  own  part  kept  him 
awake. 

"  Have  you  been  in  Dresden?  "  asked  Jacob. 

"  Yes,"  replied  he,  without  understanding  the  reason 
of  this  question. 


142  THE    JEW. 

"  You  have  then  seen  a  poem  of  Israel's  past,  a  sor- 
rowful poem  of  which  the  foolish  debauchery  of  to-day 
awakened  in  me  a  remembrance.  I  speak  of  the 
*  Jewish  Cemetery,'  by  Ruysdael." 

"  I  have  seen  that  picture,"  replied  Ivas.  "  It  ter- 
rified me,  but  I  could  not  comprehend  it.  It  is  an 
enigma  that  fills  one  with  sadness." 

"  One  can  remain  hours  before  the  canvas,"  said 
the  Jew,  "  contemplating  it  with  an  impression  of 
wonder.  It  is  so  sad,  and,  like  the  story  of  Atrides, 
stamped  with  the  seal  of  an  inexorable  fate.  But  I 
love  better  the  tears  that  one  sheds  at  the  sight  of  this 
work  of  a  great  artist,  than  the  laughter  which  came  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  debauched  Henri,  representative, 
as  he  is,  of  a  generation  stupefied  by  riches,  petrified 
by  gold.  Marvellous  creation,  this  piece  of  canvas 
where  nothing  appears  at  first  but  sombre  clouds  and 
black  trees  torn  by  the  tempest !  Examine  it  more 
closely  :  a  lowering  sky,  some  rocks,  a  group  of  myste- 
rious trees,  a  brook  which  forces  its  way  over  the  un- 
even ground.  The  picture  reproduces  only  common 
things,  but  with  an  inconceivable  force  of  expression. 
This  wonderful  artist,  Ruysdael,  this  painter  of  rocks, 
ruins  of  convents  and  chateaux,  of  forests  and  lakes, 
has  never  better  proved  his  genius  than  in  his  '  Ceme- 
tery,' where  he  rises  to  the  height  of  an  epic  poem. 
No  other  painter  has  such  eloquence,  such  beauty, 
such  majesty ;  not  even  the  brilliant  Claude  Lorraing, 
who  plays  so  skilfully  with  light  and  shade  ;  nor  Salv, - 
tor  Rosa,  with  his  striking  caverns  and  brigand?.     TL 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


H3 


'Jewish  Cemetery'  is  like  a  page  out  of  the  history  of 
a  people  who  do  not  find  repose  even  in  the  tomb. 
Two  figures  only  are  faintly  delineated  ;  nothing  else 
but  the  oaks,  and  the  torrent  which  carries  away  on  its 
bosom  the  bones  torn  from  the  earth. 

"  Fate  pursues  the  Jew  even  in  his  last  repose. 
Wishing  to  give  an  idea  of  the  misfortunes  of  these 
people,  the  artist  could  not  have  done  better  than  by 
showing  us  this  graveyard,  where,  praying  in  a  dark 
corner,  two  men  wait  until  the  fury  of  the  tempest 
shall  cease  and  the  sun  reappear.  A  single  white 
flower  springing  from  the  soil  gives  hope  of  the  re- 
turn of  springtime. 

"  At  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  when  this 
masterpiece  was  produced,  the  sun  for  us  had  long 
rested  behind  the  clouds,  and  the  poor  flower,  emblem 
of  brighter  days,  had  scarcely  budded. 

"  The  picture  is  a  history  of  the  Israelites  in  Europe 
in  the  past.  To-day  our  history  is  the  bourse,  and  it 
were  better  to  weep  over  the  tombs  than  over  our 
waning  dignity." 

The  next  day  Ivas  awoke  early  in  order  to  prepare 
for  their  journey,  but  did  not  find  his  friend.  The 
woman  of  the  house  told  him  that  he  had  gone  toward 
the  sea  at  daybreak  with  a  book  in  his  hand.  The 
morning  was  superb.  Over  the  tranquil  sea  glided 
the  fishing-boats  with  drooping  sails.  The  sun  gilded 
the  waves,  whose  brilliant  azure  transported  the  imag- 
ination to  the  land  of  fairies.  Seated  on  a  rock  not 
■r  from  the  inn,  Jacob,  forgetting  his  book,  pensively 
ontemplated  the  beautiful  scene. 


144  THE  7EW- 

Ivas  felt  some  hesitation  about  interrupting  a  rev- 
ery  which  drew  him  from  the  world,  but  the  heat 
was  already  increasing,  and  it  was  necessary  to  set  out 
before  the  morning  was  further  advanced.  After  an 
instant  of  thought  he  wished  his  friend  "  Good-morn- 
ing !  "     Jacob  raised  his  head. 

"What  need  is  there,"  said  he,  "of  such  haste? 
Why  not  remain,  at  least,  a  day  on  this  beautiful  shore  ? 
We  can  rest  here,  and  go  on  with  fresh  energy." 

"As  you  will.  Our  journey  will  be  only  one  day 
longer.  You  ought,  like  Antaeus,  to  draw  new  strength 
from  our  common  mother,  Earth  and  Nature.  I  will 
not  conceal  from  you,  however,  the  impatience  that 
grows  upon  me  to  return  to  that  land  whose  sorrows 
I  prefer  to  the  delights  of  any  other.  There  no  one 
awaits  me ;  there  is  nothing  for  me  but  shadow. 
Nevertheless,  my  soul  is  on  fire  when  I  think  of  my 
native  land." 

"  The  sentiment  is  not  strange  to  me.  I,  also,  love 
your  fatherland." 

"Why,  then,  do  not  your  brothers  think  as  you?" 

"A  difficult  question.  Think  how  sad  was  the 
situation  of  the  Jews  there  in  the  last  century,  and 
even  recently.  Like  lepers,  we  were  distinguished  by 
our  costume,  we  were  banished  to  the  interior  of  the 
country,  and  all  the  rights  of  man  were  denied  us. 
All  Christians  were  at  liberty  to  molest  us  without 
punishment ;  injuries  and  outrages  were  showered  on 
us.  Such  conditions  could  not  develop  in  the  Jews, 
love  of  a  country  or  its  institutions.     It  even  restrained 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT.  145 

in  our  hearts  love  of  humanity  in  general,  —  that 
humanity  which  would  not  receive  us,  but  set  us  aside 
as  if  under  a  ban." 

"  I  am  no  admirer  of  the  Middle  Ages,"  said  Ivas. 
"But  tell  me,  where  have  the  Jews  had  an  easier 
existence  relatively  than  in  Poland  ?  Nowhere ;  and 
the  proof  of  it  is  that  they  are  more  numerous  there 
than  elsewhere.  They  come  from  distant  lands  to 
settle  among  us.  Persecution  has  sometimes  attacked 
them,  but,  in  general,  the  law  has  protected  them. 
Polish  fanaticism  has  been  intermittent,  and  not  con- 
tinual as  in  other  parts  of  Christendom." 

"  I  admit  all  that.  But  whence  comes  the  abate- 
ment of  persecution?  It  is  because  we  are  to-day 
much  less  Jews,  and  you  less  Christians.  Extreme 
religious  ardour  produced  horrible  results  ;  who  knows 
if  the  complete  absence  of  belief  will  not  be  more 
pernicious  still  for  humanity.  My  desire  is  to  pre- 
serve the  people  of  Israel  from  the  malady  of  the  age. 
Yesterday  Henri  showed  us  where  freedom  from  all 
duty  leads.  This  man  deserts  his  sick  wife,  and  runs 
over  the  country  with  a  silly  woman.  A  weakness, 
you  will  say,  perhaps.  No ;  for  in  that  case  he  would 
have  been  ashamed  of  his  conduct,  and  he  did  not 
even  blush  when,  by  chance,  we  met  him  with  his 
Gigante.  As  he  sees  things,  it  is  all  simple  and  per- 
fectly natural.  A  being  capable  of  acting  thus  and 
affecting  such  cynicism  is  deprived  of  all  moral  sense." 

After  a  moment  he  continued  :  — 

"  I  have  travelled  over  the  Old  World.     I  have  vis- 


146  THE    JEW. 

ited  Palestine  and  the  Orient  \  I  have  slept  in  the 
tents  of  the  Bedouins.  I  have  visited  the  Musselmans 
in  the  cities.  Irreligion  is  creeping  in  even  among 
the  pilgrims  to  Mecca.  Many  make  the  pilgrimage 
more  from  ostentation  than  from  piety.  Among 
Christians  there  are  fewer  believers  than  traders  in 
beliefs.  In  France,  Catholicism  is  the  tenet  of  a 
lame  political  party,  but  is  not  carried  out  in  their  ac- 
tions. Its  defenders  are  the  condottieri ;  they  com- 
bat for  a  faith  which  they  do  not  carry  in  the  depths 
of  the  heart.  They  confess,  perhaps,  for  the  sake  of 
example,  but  surely  they  do  not  pray.  In  revenge, 
they  fling  the  worst  insults  at  their  adversaries,  the  ad- 
vocates of  free  thought,  all  in  the  name  of  religion. 
Social  order  is  in  ruins.  It  will  be  replaced  by  some- 
thing better,  I  hope  ;  but  while  waiting,  the  old  struc- 
tures will  waver,  the  columns  will  be  overthrown,  the 
altars  will  fall.  Once  the  past  is  destroyed,  we  will 
need  a  Messiah,  a  Saviour  !  " 

"  You  are  pitiless,"  cried  Ivas.  "  Ruins  every- 
where, it  is  true ;  I,  also,  believe  there  will  be  a  new 
order  of  things.  But  it  will  come  by  progress  and  not 
after  a  cataclysm  by  a  Saviour  that  you  already  see, 
and  that  you  announce." 

"  Let  us  change  the  subject,"  said  Jacob.  "  The 
future  is  God's  secret.  Our  destiny,  unfortunate  mor- 
tals, is  to  live  in  an  era  of  transition." 

"  To  return  to  our  journey.  Shall  we  rest  here  or 
push  on  farther?  " 

"  Remain  here.    I  am  fatigued  to-day.     I  need  to 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


HI 


draw  new  strength  from  reading,  talking,  and  think- 
ing. I  will  listen  to  the  dashing  of  the  surf  upon  these 
rocks  j  the  ocean,  perhaps,  will  tell  me  something." 

"  You  are  ill.  I  am  sorry ;  far  from  gaining,  your 
malady  increases ;  it  is  easy  to  guess  the  cause.  You 
regret  not  having  remained  in  Genoa,  where  lan- 
guishes your  beloved." 

"  That  is  to  judge  me  very  base.  I  could  not  have 
offered  her  my  society.  My  sadness  comes  from  the 
conviction  that  her  husband  is  unworthy  of  her.  I 
know  how  she  must  suffer,  and  what  her  existence  is, 
chained  to  such  an  animal." 

"  Alas,  there  is  no  remedy  !  " 

"  Then  it  is  better  not  to  speak  of  it." 

Jacob  closed  his  book,  and  returned  to  the  inn  with 
his  companion. 

The  day  was  passed  in  various  discussions.  They 
saw  no  more  of  Henri  and  his  danseuse.  The  couple 
had  left  for  Spezia,  a  new  reason  for  Jacob  to  rest  on 
his  route  so  as  not  to  encounter  them. 

In  the  evening  they  went  again  to  sit  by  the  sea. 

"  I  am  not  yet,"  said  Ivas,  "  completely  satisfied 
with  your  history ;  have  you  no  more  to  tell  me  ? 
You  have  given  me  only  the  detached  leaflets." 

"  Why  ?  Because  the  book  is  not  worth  the  trouble 
of  being  read  entire.  That  would  take  too  much 
time.  There  are  many  details  that  would  fatigue  you. 
Be  content,  then,  with  the  principal  facts  and  the  re- 
flections which  they  suggest ;  but  I  will  go  on,  as  you 
desire  it. 


148  THE   JEW. 

"  I  worked  in  the  counting-house  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  I  found  it  necessary  after- 
ward to  cultivate  my  relations  with  society,  to  extend 
my  study  of  the  world  and  of  character.  I  went  out 
almost  every  evening,  and  often  Mathilde  and  her 
father  accompanied  me.  A  part  of  every  night  was 
consecrated  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  and  the  Talmud. 
From  the  first  days  of  my  existence  in  Warsaw,  one 
man  attracted  my  regard  and  inspired  my  sympathy. 
This  was  my  guardian's  brother,  Simon  Borah. 

."The  brothers  had  no  love  for  each  other.  Simon 
was  not  a  practical  man ;  he  had  lost  a  part  of  his  for- 
tune, and  his  business  did  not  prosper.  For  the 
reason  that  he  was  obliged  to  aid  his  brother  occa- 
sionally, my  guardian  disliked  him  still  more.  In  a 
word,  these  two  men  had  not  one  single  point  of 
resemblance. 

"  Simon,  though  incredulous  like  his  brother,  was 
sentimental,  whimsical,  full  of  heart.  He  formed 
attachments  easily.  Frivolous,  and  even  at  times 
childish,  he  redeemed  himself  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world  by  a  sarcastic  wit  and  caustic  argument;  his 
satire  attacked  every  one,  even  his  brother. 

"Simon  had  been  married  twice.  Both  of  his 
wives  were  dead.  He  was  still  gallant  toward  the 
fair  sex,  and  he  was  in  great  demand  in  the  salons, 
for  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  more  charming  man. 
He  was  feared  a  little  also  on  account  of  his  caus- 
tic tongue.  Without  religion  himself,  he  sought  those 
who  were    believers.      He    spared    no    one,  but    at 


VOYAGE    ON   FOOT.  ^ 

heart  acquitted  all  men,  a  tear  in  his  eye  and  a 
smile  on  his  lips.  He  let  himself  be  ridiculed  by 
men  who  were  far  from  being  his  equals,  and 
thereby  carried  his  point ;  he  resembled  in  these 
moments  some  monstrous  animal  which  could  not 
contain  itself.  Full  of  contradictions,  he  was  logi- 
cal with  himself.  Christian  with  the  Jews,  and 
Jew  with  the  Christians,  it  pleased  him  to  appear 
paradoxical.  Impressionable  in  a  high  degree,  he 
interested  himself  deeply  to-day  in  things  to  which 
he  was  completely  indifferent  to-morrow.  He  had 
one  great  quality,  that  of  never  lying.  When  he 
could  not  answer  frankly  he  covered  his  words  with 
adroit  sarcasm,  or  often  was  silent. 

"My  guardian,  who  observed  all  the  proprieties 
minutely,  wrangled  continually  with  this  original  who 
revolted  against  all  restraint. 

"  Small  of  stature,  with  mean  features  and  yellow 
skin,  with  a  quick  step,  he  was  very  ugly,  but  of  an 
expressive  and  intelligent  ugliness ;  such  is  the  physi- 
cal portrait  of  Simon  Borah. 

"He  took  a  great  fancy  to  me  in  spite  of  my 
religious  sentiments,  which  I  did  not  try  to  conceal.  I 
knew  he  watched  me  closely,  and  I  wished  to  deserve 
his  good  opinion.  Each  day  his  friendship  increased. 
His  penetrating  glances  soon  divined  my  love  for 
Mathilde  without  my  ever  having  spoken. 

"  One  day  when  we  were  alone  he  suddenly  turned 
to  me  and  said  he  wished  to  ask  me  a  question. 

" « What  is  it,  Father  Simon? '  said  I. 


150  THE    JEW. 

"  'You  are  sorrowful?  '  asked  he. 

"  '  No,  I  assure  you.' 

" '  I  can  read  love  in  your  eyes.  Who  is  the  object? 
Is  it  the  English  governess,  Miss  Burnet?  The  thing 
is  not  improbable ;  they  say  that  withered  flowers 
exhale  the  sweetest  perfumes.  Still  there  is  another 
charming  person  in  the  house.' 

"  He  saw  that  the  blood  rushed  to  my  face,  and 
continued  :  — 

" '  Between  ourselves,  I  know  your  secret.  Let  me 
recall  to  you  an  official  phrase  of  our  very  august  sov- 
ereign, Alexander  II.,  in  his  interview  with  the  Poles  : 
"  No  brooding  over  the  past !  "  Your  guardian  is  a 
practical  man  and  has  high  aims.' 

"  '  It  is  you  who  dream,  Father  Simon.' 

" '  Don't  try  to  deceive  me  !  You  are  in  love,  my 
boy.' 

" '  Well,  if  I  am,  that  will  be  —  but  that  is  not  so  '  — 

" '  Very  fine.  I  know  what  you  wish  to  say.  Be- 
lieve me,  the  best  thing  for  you  is  to  get  over  it  as 
soon  as  possible.     Do  not  play  with  fire,  for 

"  This  fruit  so  sweet 
Is  not  for  you."  ' 

" '  Never  has  such  an  idea  come  into  my  head.' 
"  '  I  should  say  the  same  if  I  were  you.     You  will 
be  wise  to  renounce  all  hopes.' 

"Our  conversation  ceased  there.  He  left  some 
days  after  for  the  baths,  and  when  he  returned  he 
found  Mathilde  betrothed.  When  he  saw  me  he  looked 


VOYAGE    ON   FOOT. 


J5* 


at  me  out  of  the  corners  of  his  eyes,  and  read  proba- 
bly on  my  face  the  resignation  and  the  suffering  so 
well  concealed,  for  he  shook  my  hand  without  saying 
a  word. 

"  Two  days  after  he  met  me  on  the  street,  and  whis- 
pered in  my  ear  :  *  The  law  of  nature  is  that  the  most 
beautiful  fruits  shall  be  eaten  by  the  worms.'  Then 
he  went  away  before  I  could  reply.  He  loved  Ma- 
thilde  very  much,  and  foresaw  her  fate,  but  he  well 
knew  that  it  was  useless  to  speak  to  a  brother  who  did 
not  allow  sentiment  to  interfere  with  calculation. 

"  I  devoted  myself  to  business  assiduously,  hoping 
to  forget  my  sorrow  thereby.  In  the  mean  while,  an 
unexpected  change  came  to  me.  I  could  at  last  obtain 
the  independence  so  long  desired. 

"  As  I  owed  all  to  my  guardian's  bounty,  I  had  been 
obliged  to  conform  my  life  to  his  ideas,  and  to  obey 
his  orders.  Study  was  full  of  attraction  to  me,  but  I 
had  no  time  to  devote  to  it  except  in  the  evenings. 
My  cousin  intended  to  send  me  soon  to  some  foreign 
post,  where  I  would  be  employed  as  a  correspondent 
in  the  office  for  one  of  his  partners.  To  travel,  to 
observe,  would  instruct  me,  and  I  was  not  averse  to 
going ;  but  I  would  have  preferred  to  travel  at  liberty. 
Therefore  you  can  well  imagine  that  it  seemed  like  a 
special  grace  from  heaven  to  be  delivered  like  a  mira- 
cle from  my  chains,  and  to  become  master  of  myself 
and  of  my  actions.  It  was  near  the  time  of  Mathilde's 
marriage,  when  word  came  from  my  guardian  to  come 
immediately  to  his  office. 


152  THE    JEW. 

"  I  feared  some  misfortune,  when  I  saw  him  walking 
up  and  down  the  room  with  a  cloudy  face. 

" '  Do  you  know  what  has  happened  ?  '  said  he. 

" '  I  have  heard  nothing  new.' 

"  *  Then  I  will  be  the  first  one  to  congratulate  you. 
Your  distant  relation,  Moses  Hermann,  of  Berlin,  who 
has  no  children,  as  you  know,  has  died  and  left  you  all 
his  fortune.  Ought  I  to  rejoice?  No,  I  regret  it,  for 
I  lose  in  you  a  man  that  I  wished  to  form  on  my  own 
ideas.' 

"  I  remained  stupefied. 

"  'What  do  you  think  of  it? '  asked  he. 

"  '  I  can  hardly  reply.  For  a  long  time  I  have  de- 
sired to  travel,  and  I  hope  to  set  out  soon.' 

"  '  You  are  at  liberty  to  do  so.  I  am  happy  to  have 
given  you  an  education  which  renders  you  worthy  of 
this  unexpected  fortune.  It  is  wonderful !  Moses 
saw  you  only  once  or  twice.' 

"  He  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  I  hastened  to  my 
room  to  think  over  my  good  fortune  and  to  collect 
my  thoughts.  The  news  had  already  travelled  abroad, 
and  persons  in  the  city  who  had  never  noticed  me 
before  received  me  now  with  cordiality,  and  proffered 
me  the  warmest  friendship. 

"  Mann  kissed  me  publicly  on  both  cheeks  _and  pre- 
dicted a  splendid  future  for  me.  He  even  invited  me 
to  breakfast,  a  thing  he  had  never  done  before.  Others 
tried  to  persuade  me  that  they  had  loved  me  from  the 
depths  of  their  hearts  from  time  immemorial.  From  a 
nobody  I  became  a  marked  man  and  a  welcome  guest. 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT. 


*53 


The  will  of  Moses  had  made  a  great  change  in  my 
life.  This  Moses  Hermann  had  been  in  Warsaw  some 
months  before.  A  near  relative  of  my  mother's,  he 
was  unknown  to  me,  and  I  then  saw  him  for  the  first 
time.  My  guardian,  knowing  that  he  was  a  widower 
and  without  direct  heirs,  had  some  thoughts  of  a 
marriage  between  him  and  Mathilde,  but  this  union 
was  distasteful  to  an  old  man  of  seventy  years.  During 
his  stay  in  Warsaw  I  saw  him  every  day.  Under  his 
reserve,  I  thought  I  had  discovered  in  him  an  Israelite 
of  the  old  school.  Born  and  brought  up  in  Germany, 
he  was  a  type  almost  unknown  among  us,  of  an  edu- 
cated and  polished  man  who  was  not  at  all  ashamed 
of  his  Hebrew  origin.  In  many  respects  he  was  a 
German.  It  is  well  known  what  an  important  role 
the  Jews  play  in  Germany,  in  literature,  music,  the 
sciences,  and  politics.  He  belonged  to  this  group, 
grave,  serious,  a  thinker,  where  thought  is  not  stifled 
by  practical  life.  He  loved  poetry ;  he  even  devoted 
some  leisure  moments  to  the  muse  himself,  but  did 
not  write  in  the  style  of  Henri  Heine,  whose  genius 
he  nevertheless  admired.  He  informed  me  of  the 
actual  situation  of  our  co-religionists,  and  of  their 
waning  faith.  My  guardian  had  recommended  me  to 
him  ironically  as  an  ardent  Talmudist,  which  was  an 
exaggeration.  The  visitor  was  curious  to  examine  me 
on  this  subject.  I  answered  him  with  entire  frank- 
ness, and  unfolded  to  him  my  convictions  and  my 
programme  for  the  future.  Irritated  by  the  sneers  of 
my  guardian,  I  explained  to  him  all  my  thoughts  on 


154  THE    JEW. 

Judaism,  perhaps  with  some  exaltation.  Moses  listened 
to  me  attentively,  though  he  said  nothing,  and  we  did 
not  resume  the  subject,  for  he  left  suddenly  the  next 
day. 

"  Great  was  my  astonishment  at  this  bequest.  In 
the  will  there  was  not  a  single  obligatory  clause.  The 
wording  was  short  and  concise.  The  motive  which 
was  inexplicable  to  others  was  clear  to  me.  It  was  a 
sacrifice  made  to  the  ideas  which  he  approved  and 
shared. 

"  My  guardian,  who  had  expected  this  fortune  him- 
self, spoke  of  the  deceased  with  bitterness  and  accused 
him  of  ingratitude. 

"  On  this  memorable  day  I  met  Father  Simon. 

"  '  It  is  too  bad,'  cried  he,  '  that  the  honest  Moses 
did  not  die  some  months  sooner.  To-day  it  is  the 
mustard  after  dinner,  is  it  not?  Nothing  comes  in 
time.  However,  perhaps  it  is  for  the  best.  I  con- 
gratulate you,  and  I  hope  you  will  not  be  intoxicated 
by  your  sudden  fortune.' 

"  Really  the  surprise  did  intoxicate  me  somewhat, 
in  spite  of  myself.  Men  appeared  to  me  from  a  new 
point  of  view ;  their  baseness  disgusted  me,  since  now 
that  I  was  rich  they  treated  me  so  differently  from 
when  in  poverty.  It  was  impossible  for  me  to  ac- 
cept all  their  invitations  or  to  escape  their  attentions  \ 
I  repelled  them,  however,  with  great  interior  con- 
tempt. 

"  As  my  guardian  had  told  me  that  I  was  free  to 
dispose  of  myself,    I  resolved  to  go  abroad.     Since 


VOYAGE    ON  FOOT 


*55 


then  I  have  travelled,  and  I  return  home  with  the 
firm  determination  of  serving  my  brothers  and  my 
countrymen." 

Ivas  sighed. 

"You  are  happy,"  said  he;  "free,  rich,  and  at 
liberty  to  do  as  you  please.  Your  aducation,  your 
character,  your  force  of  mind,  will  enable  you  to  ac- 
complish great  things." 

"  Listen,"  cried  Jacob,  taking  his  arm,  "  we  will 
labor  together  to  serve  our  countrymen.  I  am  pre- 
pared for  it." 

A  light  shone  in  Ivas'  eyes,  but  he  repressed  the 
transports  of  his  soul. 

"I  thank  you,"  replied  he  at  last,  with  a  sad  smile 
on  his  lips,  "  but  it  will  first  be  necessary  to  return  to 
Poland.  Our  country  is  on  the  eve  of  important 
events.     Impatience  devours  me." 

"Me,  also,"  said  Jacob.  "Yet  I  do  not  share  your 
presentiments.  There  are  some  events  that  I  would 
rather  avoid  than  hasten.  We  will  speak  of  this 
later." 

The  next  day  they  continued  their  journey.  Rest- 
lessness incited  them.  At  Spezia  they  took  the  dili- 
gence and  gained  a  railway  station.  They  travelled 
quickly  through  Italy  and  Austria,  and  soon  arrived  at 
the  frontier  of  what  is  called  the  Russian  Empire. 

It  is  to-day  the  only  European  State,  if  one  can  call 
it  thus,  where  there  exists  no  security  for  any  one.  If 
one  goes  on  foot,  one  is  exposed  at  the  caprice  of  an 
administration,  on  the  least  suspicion,  or  from  a  false 


156  THE    JEW. 

accusation,  if  not  to  death,  to  imprisonment  of  long 
duration,  spoliation,  or  torture.  It  is  better  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  Calabria  than  into  those  of  the 
functionaries  of  the  Russian  government.  A  country 
where,  with  the  exception  of  the  rights  of  the  strong- 
est, there  are  no  rights;  where  reigns  a  band  of 
beings,  a  little  polished  but  not  civilized ;  where  the 
insatiable  tools  of  brute  force  do  not  make  any  ac- 
count of  man,  of  his  dignity,  of  his  age,  of  his  merits, 
of  his  sufferings ;  is  it  not  rather  an  immense  and 
frightful  dungeon?  The  unfortunates  who  have  es- 
caped from  its  prison  doors  become  the  sport  of  the 
towns  and  villages.  Before  entering,  a  man  was  a  man. 
He  is  now  no  more  than  the  subject,  the  slave,  not  of  a 
single  autocrat,  but  of  some  hundreds  of  ferocious 
despots,  each  individual  a  greedy  representation  of 
the  unlimited  power  of  the  Czar.  On  its  Russian 
barriers  one  can  read  the  inscription  of  Dante : 
il  Las  date  ogni  speranza  voi  ch'entrate."  "Who 
enters  here  leaves  hope  behind." 


THE    SABBATH, 


*57 


CHAPTER     VIII. 

THE    SABBATH. 

A  small  hamlet  near  Warsaw.  A  spacious,  empty 
market-place,  on  one  side  of  which  is  a  modest  church 
and  long  cemetery  wall ;  on  the  other  a  row  of  old 
and  new  houses  of  wood  and  brick,  inhabited  chiefly 
by  Israelites.  One  of  these,  more  conspicuous,  rises 
above  the  others  with  a  certain  arrogance.  On  the 
ground  floor,  a  grocery.  On  the  front  two  lions, 
recalling  by  their  sculpture  Assyrian  art.  In  their 
paws  a  vase  of  flowers  and  the  figures  i860,  no  doubt 
the  date  of  the  restoration  of  the  house.  An  eating- 
house  with  an  open  door  is  at  the  side. 

Almost  all  the  business  of  the  village  centred  about 
this  dwelling,  a  sufficient  proof  that  the  proprietor  was 
an  important  person.  It  was  a  Friday  evening ;  on 
the  upper  floors  preparations  were  being  made  to 
celebrate  the  day  consecrated  to  God  in  the  Old 
Testament. 

Provisions  of  all  kinds  covered  the  kitchen  table. 
Women  kept  watch  over  a  roast  goose,  a  baked  fish, 
while  pastry  and  other  dishes  were  cooking  in  the 
blazing  oven.  The  chambers  were  being  set  in  order, 
brooms  flourished  everywhere,  and  the  candlesticks 
were  filled  with  candles. 


158  THE   JEW. 

Already  the  venerable  Jankiel  Meves  had  returned 
from  the  bath.  He  hastened  to  put  on  his  best 
garments,  although  the  sun  was  far  from  setting ;  he 
had  eaten  little  during  the  day,  so  as  to  do  more 
honour  to  the  blessed  supper.  While  waiting,  he 
reviewed  in  his  memory  all  the  events  of  the  past 
week,  seeking  any  violation  of  the  sacred  laws  so  as  to 
efface  them  by  sincere  repentance. 

Jankiel  was  an  Israelite  of  the  old  school.  It  would 
have  been  very  easy  for  him  to  have  gained  a  more 
elevated  position,  owing  to  his  wealth,  his  intelligence, 
and  his  connections ;  but  he  refused  to  put  off  his 
costume  and  to  abandon  his  religious  observances. 
The  noise  of  women's  jests  came  to  his  ears  from  the 
kitchen  below.  His  wife,  Rachel,  fat,  mature,  and 
rosy,  kneaded  three  little  white  loaves,  some  of  which 
she  was  careful  to  reserve  apart  for  the  Khallah.  The 
good  woman,  after  having  washed  her  hands,  had  care- 
fully taken  a  portion  of  the  dough,  whispering  the 
prayer  used  on  such  occasions  :  "  Praised  be  Jehovah 
our  God,  King  of  the  world  !  It  is  from  thee  that  we 
have  received  our  sacred  laws,  and  it  is  thou  who  hast 
ordered  us  to  keep  the  Khallah  !  " 

As  there  was  only  one  family  and  one  baking, 
Rachel  threw  only  one  Khallah  into  the  fire.  In 
another  part  of  the  kitchen  was  in  preparation  a  stuffed 
pike,  a  favourite  dish  of  the  Israelites,  recommended 
by  tradition  for  the  Sabbath  day.  At  the  same  time 
roasts  and  other  dishes  were  cooking.  On  this  day 
of  rejoicing  economy  is  not  thought  of. 


THE    SABBATH. 


159 


The  master  of  the  house  inspected  himself  the 
freshly  washed  dishes,  the  shining  knife,  and  the  clean 
stewpans. 

The  hour  arrived  for  the  preparatory  prayers  of  the 
celebration,  with  the  Ten  Commandments  in  Hebrew 
and  in  Chaldaic,  a  chapter  of  the  Prophets  applicable 
to  the  day  of  the  year,  and  the  93d  Psalm. 

What  a  profound  impression  can  be  produced  on 
an  oppressed  people  by  this  last  song  of  the  Psalmist, 
which  commands  patience,  and  promises  God's  ven- 
geance against  oppressors. 

Jankiel  recited  the  prescribed  prayers,  and,  as  he 
had  yet  time,  he  opened  the  Talmud  and  fell  on  a 
passage  of  the  Book  Berakhat.  The  reading  plunged 
him  in  meditation.  His  thoughts  went  back  to  the 
days  of  intense  persecution ;  he  wept,  and  thanked 
God  that,  in  spite  of  captivity,  dispersions,  tortures, 
and  oppression,  He  had  miraculously  preserved  His 
people  until  the  present  day.  Whence  came  this 
miracle,  from  the  observance  of  the  law. 

The  time  of  prayers  over,  custom  wills  that  the 
master  of  the  house  shall  throw  a  last  glance  on  the 
festive  preparations ;  and,  although  he  had  entire 
confidence  in  Rachel,  the  Jew  visited  the,  kitchen, 
touched  the  dishes,  and  blessed  in  thought  the  nourish- 
ment about  to  be  served.  Then  he  returned  to  his 
chamber  and  read  the  Song  of  Solomon. 

The  sun  disappeared,  and  the  candles  were  lighted. 
The  solemn  hour  of  the  coming  of  the  Sabbath  ap- 
proached. 


160  THE    JEW. 

The  table  was  carefully  set,  and  Rachel  appeared 
in  a  toilette  of  velvet  ornamented  with  pearls.  Her 
daughters  were  dressed  less  elegantly,  but  with  much 
taste,  and  the  servants  even  were  in  their  best. 

The  time  came  to  go  to  the  synagogue,  and  Jankiel 
descended  the  stairs,  Rachel  following  him  with  an 
enormous  volume  under  her  arm.  Her  daughters 
accompanied  her,  and  behind  came  the  servants. 
That  no  one  from  this  house  must  miss  service  was 
the  rule  of  this  Israelite. 

The  crowd  filled  the  court  in  front  of  the  temple ; 
rich  and  poor,  devout  followers  of  Mosaism,  were  mixed 
together,  and  the  chorister  intoned  the  prayer  Achre. 

The  service  was  long.  JankieFs  face  wore  an  ex- 
pression of  sad  preoccupation,  and  when  he  returned 
home  he  had,  in  spite  of  this  day  of  rejoicing,  a 
clouded  brow  and  a  discontented  air.  At  times  he 
looked  at  Lia,  his  younger  daughter,  who  awaited  with 
fear  and  trembling  her  mother's  commands. 

She  was  a  charming  girl,  whose  features  expressed 
innocence  and  sensibility  of  heart.  Her  eyes  sparkled 
with  the  fires  of  youth,  though  they  were  now  clouded 
by  recent  tears,  and  she  looked  at  her  father  as  if 
frightened. 

Rachel  recited  with  her  elder  daughter  the  pre- 
scribed prayers  while  lighting  the  candles.  Other 
prayers  followed,  some  whispered,  some  uttered  in  a 
loud  voice.  The  sacred  songs  echoed  through  the 
brilliantly  lighted  house,  and  the  women  read  Hebrew 
books. 


THE    SABBATH.  161 

Jankiel  absented  himself  to  return  to  the  synagogue, 
and  Rachel  assisted  her  daughters  to  finish  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  feast.  She  placed  on  the  table,  covered 
with  a  white  cloth,  two  white  loaves  made  by  herself 
wrapped  in  a  snowy  napkin,  in  remembrance  of  the 
manna  of  the  desert,  the  napkin  representing  the  dew. 

Returned  home,  Jankiel  pronounced  several  in- 
vocations, and  his  two  daughters  besought  his  blessing. 
He  extended  his  hands  to  the  elder,  but  when  the 
time  came  for  Lia  he  hesitated  a  moment,  and  his 
voice  trembled  faintly  in  pronouncing  the  benediction 
for  the  second  time. 

"  May  God  make  Rachel  and  Lia  like  Sara  and  like 
Rebecca  !  " 

The  mother  in  her  turn  blessed  her  children,  em- 
braced them,  and  shed  some  tears,  which  she  tried  to 
wipe  off,  unobserved,  on  a  corner  of  her  embroidered 
apron. 

Before  going  to  table  a  new  prayer  was  addressed 
to  the  angels  by  Jankiel,  then  a  second  repetition  of 
the  Song  of  Solomon,  and  reading  from  the  Talmud  a 
verse  chosen  at  random.  Then  followed  the  conse- 
cration of  the  wine  and  the  blessing  of  broken  bread, 
the  pieces  of  which  were  distributed  to  the  guests. 
It  was  thus  they  commenced  the  repast ;  but,  in  spite 
of  the  command  of  Moses  to  be  merry  during  the 
Sabbath,  the  father  seemed  to  be  deeply  afflicted. 
His  glance  sought  Lia,  and  the  young  girl  was  so  con- 
fused that  she  would  have  liked  to  conceal  herself 
under  the  table. 


1 62  THE    JEW. 

Carried  out  according  to  tradition,  the  feast  had  a 
solemn  character.  The  supper  was  half  prayer,  half 
offering,  and  bore  no  resemblance  to  the  fashionable 
feasts  from  which  God  is  banished  and  to  which  one 
does  not  dream  of  inviting  the  angels.  Jankiel,  a 
scrupulous  observer  of  the  law,  pronounced  a  last 
prayer  at  the  end  of  the  repast.  After  that  they  sep- 
arated. Rachel  went  to  her  bedroom,  where  Jankiel 
soon  joined  her. 

"  I  am  alarmed,"  said  she  to  her  husband ;  "  you 
appear  ill.  You  are  not  in  your  usual  spirits.  You 
have  not  the  tranquillity  of  the  Sabbath.  What  is 
the  matter  with  you?" 

"  Oh,  it  will  pass  away  !  Do  not  speak  of  it  now. 
It  would  sadden  this  blessed  and  holy  day." 

His  wife  said  no  more. 

It  is  thus  that  the  Sabbath  is  kept  in  houses 
where  the  olch&astoms  are  strictly  observed.  In  most 
Jewish  families  the  ritual  is  abridged,  and  this  tends 
to  destroy  the  ancient  and  patriarchal  character  of 
this  consecrated  day. 

Opposite  JankiePs  dwelling  was  a  wooden  house ; 
it  was  comfortable  and  convenient,  and  belonged  to 
David  Seeback.  It  was  toward  the  windows  of  this 
house  that  Lia,  alone  in  her  chamber,  turned  her 
beautiful  eyes.  She  sighed  deeply,  and  seemed  lost 
in  thought. 

David  Seeback,  father  and  son,  had  for  many  years 
followed  the  profession  of  money-lenders,  a  business 
which  was  called  usury  until  the  moment  when  polit- 


THE    SABBATH.  163 

ical  economy  decided  that  to  profit  by  the  need  of 
another  is  legitimate;  and  that  interest,  mutually 
agreed,  no  matter  how  high,  is  a  permissible  thing. 
These  financiers  were  neither  Jews  nor  Christians. 
They  kept  in  appearance  the  Jewish  laws  and  customs, 
but  they  attached  to  them  no  real  importance.  David, 
the  father,  gave  himself  out  as  a  believing  Jew  to  his 
co-religionists,  but  ridiculed  all  their  observances  when 
he  found  himself  with  the  Khutars  and  the  Go'imes. 

He  ate  anywhere  that  he  happened  to  be,  and 
travelled  on  the  days  set  aside  for  prayer  and  repose. 
In  a  word,  he  had  shaken  off  tradition  and  found  noth- 
ing to  take  its  place. 

David  the  younger  had  received  his  education  in 
Warsaw  and  abroad ;  he  bore,  no  trace  whatever  of 
his  origin.  Well  educated,  but  very  corrupt  at  heart, 
he  found  in  his  insatiable  cupidity  many  ways  of  gain- 
ing money.  The  father  was  proud  of  his  only  scion, 
and  predicted  for  him  a  high  destiny ;  and  this  time 
the  proverb  "like  father  like  son"  was  right. 

While  the  solemn  ceremony  of  the  Sabbath  was 
being  kept  in  the  house  of  Jankiel,  the  two  Davids 
lighted  their  candles  and  ate  their  supper,  but  forgot 
the  prayers  and  the  offerings  of  bread  and  wine. 
They  were  alone. 

Long  time  a  widower,  Seeback  had  no  other  child 
but  David.  A  weak  character,  he  jested  under  all 
circumstances,  and  loved  to  make  a  trial  of  wit  with 
his  son.  David  the  younger  sometimes  lent  himself 
to  this  paternal  whim,  but,  in  general,  he  assumed  a 


164  THE    JEW. 

certain  gravity,  so  as  to  impose  upon  people  by  an 
affected  wisdom.  Hypocrisy  was  developed  in  the 
family  from  one  generation  to  another. 

With  all  his  indifference  to  religion,  David  the  elder 
felt,  on  the  days  consecrated  by  custom,  a  certain  re- 
morse for  having  abandoned  the  pious  customs ;  he 
was  uneasy  and  unhappy.  Sometimes  he  glided  into 
an  obscure  corner,  and  murmured  a  portion  of  a  prayer 
that  he  considered  ridiculous  to  repeat  aloud.  He  be- 
lieved that  by  these  clandestine  practices  he  might  repel 
some  imminent  danger.  He  had  lost  all  respect  for 
Jehovah,  but  he  feared  him  still.  Several  times  on  this 
evening  he  arose  from  the  table,  and,  at  the  risk  of  in- 
curring his  son's  sneers,  muttered  in  his  sleeve  some 
prayer.  He  had  even  simulated  the  blessing  of  the 
wine  when  he  presented  it  to  his  heir,  who,  with  a  cer- 
tain tact,  feigned  not  to  notice  all  his  grimaces.  The 
younger  David  had  a  distinguished  manner,  but  his 
features  expressed  pride  and  foppery. 

The  father  increased  these  faults  by  praises,  and  his 
admiration  almost  reached  idolatry.  He  asked  nothing 
in  return  but  filial  gratitude.  The  young  man  made 
very  little  account  of  his  father,  and  reproached  him 
continually  for  infractions  of  the  laws  of  good  society 
and  for  his  ignorance.  The  old  man  at  first  essayed 
to  justify  himself,  but  always  finished  by  bowing  to  the 
superior  wisdom  of  David,  junior.  This  insolent  cox- 
comb was  seated  at  table  in  a  dressing-gown,  with  a 
cigar  in  his  mouth.  He  wore  gold  spectacles,  though 
they  really  hindered  him  from  seeing.    Fish  was  served, 


THE    SABBATH.  ^5 

the  only  vestige  of  traditional  customs,  then  a  roast 
and  tea.  The  old  man  cut  the  bread,  muttering  some 
unintelligible  words  ;  but  he  perceived  a  look  of  disdain 
from  his  son,  and  did  not  finish  the  prayer.  There 
was  a  long  silence,  which  the  father  broke  by  asking  the 
young  man,  who  had  stretched  himself  out  in  a  chair : 

"  What  do  you  dream  of  ?     Of  the  Sabbath  ?  " 

"All  that  I  know  of  the  Sabbath  is,"  replied  David 
the  younger,  "  that  formerly  they  celebrated  it.  To- 
day it  is  foolish,  a  foolish  custom,  and  it  is  old  Jankiel 
alone  who  observes  the  ridiculous  ceremonies.  Un- 
fortunately, ridicule  makes  no  impression  on  him." 

"  Would  you,  then,  mock  him?  " 

"  Why  not?  This  wretched,  vulgar  Jew  feels  for  us 
only  malevolence  and  repulsion." 

"  What  matters  it  ?  He  cannot  injure  us.  His  ill- 
will  cannot  make  us  lose  one  thing  or  another." 

"  That  is  true.  And  I  would  not  have  even  noticed 
his  aversion  had  he  not  such  a  pretty  daughter." 

"  How  now  !  What  are  you  thinking  of  ?  Do  not 
forget  that  you  are  already  married,  although  you  do 
not  live  with  your  wife.  Do  not  plunge  yourself  in  a 
love  affair.  There  are  plenty  of  girls  who  will  suit 
you  better  than  that  lass.  Even  if  you  wish  to  be 
divorced,  you  must  not  dream  of  her.  We  can  easily 
find  for  you  the  daughter  of  some  Polish  proprietor.  If 
you  take  a  second  wife,  you  must  look  as  high  as  pos- 
sible, and  for  one  not  a  Jewess.  Am  I  not  sufficiently 
rich  to  buy  a  property  grand  enough  to  make  all  the 
neighbouring  aristocracy  jealous?" 


1 66  THE    JEW. 

"  I  do  not  want  land.  Why  invest  in  property  that 
does  not  return  four  per  cent.,  when  we  can  now  get 
twenty  or  thirty?" 

"You  are  right,  and  you  are  wrong.  Our  capital 
brings  in,  it  is  true,  the  interest  you  name,  but  at  the 
same  time  we  run  the  risk  of  losing  it.  When  one  has 
acquired  so  immense  a  fortune  as  ours,  it  does  not  do 
to  expose  all  of  it  in  the  same  speculations.  Land  can- 
not run  away.  The  banks  give  four  and  a  half  per 
cent.';  but  even  the  banks  can  fail.  One  cannot  sleep 
easy  with  much  money  in  the  banks.  The  public 
funds?  They  are  depressed.  I  continually  fear  a  dec- 
laration of  war.    Land  is  really  the  safest  investment." 

"  Not  as  safe  as  you  think.  The  land  can  be  taken 
from  us." 

"By  whom?" 

"  We  are  not  in  France,  or  England,  where  property 
is  sacred.  Our  government  offers  no  security.  No 
one  is  secure  here." 

"  A  very  profound  political  thought,  and  one  worthy 
of  being  remembered.  I  render  homage  to  your  per- 
spicacity ;  but  suppose  even  that  half  of  the  land  was 
confiscated,  the  other  half  would  increase  in  value. 
That  is  indisputable,  while  paper  may  be  worth  noth- 
ing to-morrow.  Let  us  return  to  your  future  marriage. 
The  first  was  unworthy  of  you ;  it  must  be  dissolved. 
But  why  the  devil  do  you  dream  of  Lia  ?  She  did  well 
for  herself  to  fall  in  your  way.  She  is  a  Jewess,  and, 
though  she  is  not  bad  looking,  beauty  is  not  every- 
thing.    What  a  figure  she  would  make  in  your  salon, 


THE    SABBATH.  i6>j 

this  country  maiden  who  knows  not  how  either  to  stand 
or  to  sit.  Your  second  wife  must  be  a  woman  wno 
has  received  a  refined  education.  She  must  be  of 
noble  birth,  that  she  may  shine  at  court.  And  could 
Lia  do  that?     A  simple  country  girl !  " 

"Nevertheless,"  objected  David,  "it  is  not  for  my 
salon  that  I  wish  to  marry.  I  myself  prefer  a  simple 
and  innocent  girl  to  all  the  fashionable  ladies  of  Warsaw, 
tvho,  having  had  eleven  adorers,  marry  the  twelfth." 

"You  talk  foolishly.  To  think  thus  is  the  part  of  a 
common  Jew,  who  only  dreams  of  multiplying  and 
filling  the  earth  according  to  the  command  of  the 
Bible.  Your  wife  ought  to  push  your  fortunes.  Through 
your  education  and  your  fortune  you  cannot  fail  to 
become  a  celebrated  man.  And  what  would  you  do 
then  with  Lia  ?  Take  her  to  a  ball,  or  to  the  theatre  ? 
Truly,  she  would  do  you  honour  !  If  some  great  per- 
son noticed  her,  she  would  be  confused  and  embar- 
rassed, sucking  her  apron  to  hide  her  face.  There  are 
hundreds  of  Jewesses  like  that.  You  must  take  an 
educated  wife,  German  or  French.  With  your  brains, 
and  my  money,  you  can  aspire  to  anything.  It  would 
not  be  astounding  for  you  to  become  minister,  and 
then  "  — 

He  threw  out  his  arm,  and  extinguished  a  candle. 
He  arose  to  light  it,  but,  suddenly  remembering  that 
this  was  the  Sabbath  day,  a  superstitious  fear  came 
over  his  spirit.  He  remained  standing,  not  knowing 
what  to  do. 

Seeing  his  father's  hesitation,  his  son  left  his  chair. 


1 68  THE    JEW. 

and  was  bold  enough  to  relight  the  candle.  After  this 
act  of  courage  he  reseated  himself,  and  puffed  his  cigar 
with  a  malicious  air. 

His  father  loved  to  smoke,  but,  as  he  dared  not 
infringe  the  law,  he  always  deprived  himself  of  that 
pleasure  on  the  Sabbath,  under  pretext  of  some 
trifling  indisposition.  When  the  candle  was  relighted, 
an  infraction  of  the  Jewish  law,  he  at  first  regarded  it 
with  fear,  but  soon  regained  his  normal  state,  and 
continued  to  explain  his  theories  on  marriage. 

"  Lia  cannot  hope  for  a  great  fortune,"  said  he. 
"  Estimating  JankiePs  wealth  at  its  highest,  —  house, 
manufactory,  and  shop,  —  he  scarcely  possesses  a 
hundred,  or  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  roubles. 
What  is  that?     A  mere  trifle  to  us  !  " 

"  And  we,"  asked  the  young  man,  to  tease  his  father, 
"have  we  not  enough  money?  " 

"  How  can  such  a  word  come  out  of  your  mouth  ? 
Has  one  ever  enough  ?  With  money  one  does  as  he 
wills ;  without  it,  with  all  the  intelligence  in  the  world, 
one  is  only  a  fool.  I  will  try  to  find  you  a  rich  wife. 
Think  no  more  of  Lia." 

"What  if  Hove  her?" 

"Love  her?  Your  love  will  only  be  like  a  fire  of 
straw ;  the  faster  it  burns,  the  sooner  it  will  die  out. 
A  sensible  man  does  not  marry  for  love  and  for  the 
bright  eyes  of  a  young  girl." 

David,  junior,  burst  out  laughing,  and  his  father  was 
exceedingly  proud  of  this  mark  of  approbation  from 
one  who  was  usually  so  disdainful. 


THE  SABBATH.  169 

Satisfied  with  themselves,  they  were  about  to  retire 
to  their  rooms,  when  they  heard  loud  knocks  on  the 
outer  door. 

The  thing  was  so  extraordinary  at  this  hour  of  the 
night,  that  the  old  man  experienced  a  sensation  of 
anxiety  and  foreboding,  which  changed  to  one  of 
surprise  when  he  saw  at  the  door  a  man  of  fine 
appearance  and  of  commanding  stature,  whom  he  did 
not  recognize  at  first  sight. 

"  Messieurs,"  said  the  stranger,  "  I  hope  you  will 
pardon  this  intrusion  on  a  holy  day,  and  at  so  late  an 
hour." 

"  Why,  this  is  Monsieur  Jacob  !  "  cried  the  old  man. 

"  Our  holy  law,"  replied  the  new-comer,  "  forbids 
all  business  transactions  on  the  day  consecrated  to 
God,  but  the  law  permits  us,  on  such  occasions,  to 
succour  even  a  beast  in  danger  of  death ;  how  much 
more,  then,  a  man." 

"  Dear  Monsieur  Jacob,  we  do  not  belong  to  that 
superstitious  class  who  dare  not  touch  the  fire  or  sew 
on  a  button  during  the  Sabbath.  Be  seated.  What  can 
we  do  for  you?  But  pardon  me;  my  son  David, 
Monsieur  Jacob,  who  is  a  distant  relation,  and  of 
whom  you  have  often  heard  me  speak,"  added  he, 
presenting  his  son  to  the  visitor. 

David,  junior,  only  knew  that  Jacob  had  been  the 
sole  legatee  of  a  rich  banker  of  Berlin,  but  that  was 
sufficient  to  cause  him  to  receive  him  with  distinction. 
They  invited  him  a  second  time  to  be  seated.  Jacob 
excused  himself  with  a  certain  impatience. 


170  THE    JEW. 

"Perhaps  you  have  not  yet  supped?"  asked  the 
master  of  the  house. 

"  I  reached  your  town  somewhat  late,  and  hastened 
to  fulfil  my  religious  duties.  I  have  been  to  the 
synagogue,  then  I  ate  a  little  at  the  inn." 

"Ah,  you  go  to  the  temple  !  "  and  turning  toward 
his  son,  the  old  man  said  :  — 

"  What  a  good  example  !  Monsieur  Jacob,  well 
brought  up  and  intelligent,  observes  the  law  !" 

"Yes,"  said  Jacob,  "a  Jew  I  shall  always  remain. 
No  doubt  in  captivity  and  exile  we  have  added  many 
ceremonies  to  the  Mosaic  law.  These  are  both  sweet 
and  bitter  souvenirs.  It  is  good  not  to  let  them  be 
extinguished." 

The  elder  David  visibly  rejoiced  at  these  words  j 
his  son  smiled  and  bit  his  lips. 

"  Every  one  ought  to  follow  the  dictates  of  his  own 
conscience,"  said  he. 

"  But  tell  us  to  what  good  fortune  do  we  owe  your 
visit?"  asked  the  father. 

"  I  come  to  you  on  account  of  our  relationship, 
to  demand  a  service.  I  met  in  Italy  a  young  Polish 
exile  who  suffers  so  much  with  homesickness  that  I 
brought  him  here  with  me.  He  was  poor  and  ill. 
My  conscience  urged  me  to  aid  him._  He  fled  from 
Poland  several  years  ago,  fearing  to  be  implicated  in 
a  political  plot." 

"  Political  affairs  ;  bad  business,"  grumbled  the  old 
man  shaking  his  head,  while  his  son  said  nothing. 

"  He  has  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  passport  under  an 


THE    SABBATH. 


171 


assumed  name,"  continued  Jacob,  "  and  he  was  de- 
termined to  brave  the  danger,  and  accompained  me 
to  Poland.  At  the  frontier  he  would  not  accept  my 
offer  to  go  on  with  him.  For  fear  of  compromising 
me  if  he  was  arrested,  he  preceded  me  so  as  to  enter 
his  native  land  alone.  Honest  youth  !  Happily  he 
passed  the  frontier,  as  I  learned  on  arriving  two  days 
later.  Scarcely  had  I  passed  the  custom-house  when 
I  heard  that  the  police  had  discovered  that  he  was 
travelling  under  an  assumed  name.  I  hastened  to  re- 
join him  at  the  station  where  he  was  detained,  and 
secured  his  release.  I  come  to  ask  you  to  shelter  him 
in  your  house,  which  is  not  suspected  by  the  police, 
until  I  can  obtain  amnesty  for  him  or  find  some 
other  means  to  rid  him  of  his  pursuers.  Otherwise 
the  unfortunate  boy  will  be  sent  to  Siberia,  and  perish 
like  many  others  of  his  oppressed  countrymen." 

The  silence  with  which  the  two  Davids  answered  his 
request  showed  that  they  were  not  inclined  to  har- 
bour the  young  Pole.  The  appeal  to  their  senti- 
ment of  humanity  fell  on  deaf  ears.  It  was  the 
elder  who,  with  a  frown,  finally  spoke. 

"This  is  a  most  delicate  business,"  said  he, 
"and  very  dangerous.  Why  not  be  frank  with  a 
kinsman?  This  is  not  a  Jewish  affair.  What  have 
we  to  do  with  the  Poles,  or  Polish  complications? 
They  have  nothing  in  common  with  us.  The  govern- 
ment does  not  persecute  us,  or,  at  least,  it  could 
persecute  us  much  more.  We  are  believed  to  be 
loyal   and    devoted.     Why,    then,  should  we  expose 


1 72  THE    JEW. 

ourselves  and  alienate  this  favourable  disposition, 
by  aiding  our  former  oppressors,  the  Poles?  Why 
should  the  Jews  meddle  with  politics?  It  is  not 
our  business." 

"You  and  I  differ  in  .regard  to  that,"  replied  Jacob. 
"  If  we  wish  to  enjoy  the  same  rights  as  other  in- 
habitants of  this  country,  we  ought  to  commence  to 
take  an  interest  in  politics  and  in  the  welfare  of  the 
land.  It  is  only  thus  that  we  can  expect  to  live  on  a 
footing  of  perfect  equality.  The  government  has  de- 
cided to  crush  out  the  intelligent  and  educated  Poles. 
It  certainly  belongs  to  us  who  eat  their  bread  to  make 
common  cause  with  them  against  their  oppressors, 
who  are  only  conquering  intruders.  Let  us  remember 
our  own  captivity." 

"  Did  you  not  say  that  the  Jews  ought  to  observe 
the  law  above  all  things?  You  contradict  yourself,  for 
the  law  commands  us  to  protect  ourselves,  and  it  is 
contrary  to  our  interests  to  take  part  with  the  Poles." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  Can  you  read  the 
future  ?  The  iniquities  committed  against  this  nation 
cannot  always  remain  without  vengeance.  God  has 
permitted  the  chastisement,  but  the  measure  is  full. 
The  sins  are  washed  away  by  tears  and  by  blood  !  The 
day  of  justice  draws  near !  In  the  day  of  terrible 
retribution  it  will  be  better  to  be  with  those  who  have 
been  purified  by  divine  punishment,  and  not  with  those 
who  have  incurred  the  wrath  of  God." 

"  In  my  turn  let  me  ask,  how  do  you  know  all 
this?"  said  the  elder  David.     "  Is  it  your  prophetic 


THE    SABBATH. 


*73 


spirit  that  tells  you  ?  Have  you  remembered  the  sins 
of  these  Philistines,  the  extortions  and  the  miseries 
with  which  they  afflicted  us  ?  Do  you  know  that  there 
still  remains  much  to  expiate?  " 

"  It  is  not  just  to  make  a  single  nation  responsible 
for  the  crimes  of  all  Christians.  The  Jews  have  been 
persecuted  everywhere,  and  in  many  lands  much  worse 
than  here." 

"What  good  is  all  this  discussion?"  cried  the 
younger  David,  rising  from  his  chair.  "  It  is  nothing 
to  us  who  obtains  the  upper  hand.  I  do  not  care  to 
decide  who  are  the  better,  the  Russians  or  the  Poles. 
At  least  I  know  how  to  take  a  Russian.  He  is  always 
easily  bought ;  at  first  he  is  brutal  and  insulting,  then 
he  holds  out  his  hand,  and  you  have  only  to  oil  it 
with  a  few  pieces  of  silver,  and  he  becomes  sweet  and 
obliging ;  but  your  Poles  do  not  inspire  me  with  so 
much  confidence." 

Jacob  would  listen  no  longer ;  he  arose,  and  cried 
indignantly :  — 

"  Then,  as  such  are  your  convictions  I  will  not  insist. 
I  see,  with  sorrow,  that  you,  as  well  as  others,  choose  a 
selfish  policy,  and  always  take  sides  with  the  strong 
and  not  with  the  right." 

"The  right?  The  ancient  rulers  of  the  country 
have  not  respected  us,  have  they?" 

"  If  I  admit  that,  is  it  any  reason  why  we  should 
imitate  them  to-day?  The  elect  people  ought  to  be 
more  virtuous  than  the  people  they  live  with,  and  set 
them  an  example." 


1 74  THE    JEW. 

The  younger  David  began  to  whistle,  and  then 
said  :  — 

"  Who  speaks  now  of  virtue  and  right  ?  In  the 
world  of  to-day  self-interest  is  the  sole  right.  Virtue  ! 
Right !  Grand  words,  in  which  one  no  longer  be- 
lieves." — 

The  old  man  bowed  before  his  son's  superior 
wisdom,  and  threw  a  glance  full  of  pride  at  Jacob, 
which  seemed  to  say  :  — 

"How  can  you  reply  to  that,  eh?" 

The  friend  of  Ivas  calmly  surveyed  the  young  man, 
and  replied  in  a  grave  voice,  dwelling  on  each  word  : — 

"  Unfortunately,  you  appreciate  our  epoch  at  its 
true  value.  However,  that  which  now  is  cannot 
always  be.  Truth  still  exists.  Our  law,  thousands  of 
years  old  though  it  may  be,  is  not  worn  out.  Open 
our  holy  books,  and  you  will  read  therein  truths  which 
have  never  ceased  to  be  truths,  and  which  will  never 
cease  until  the  end  of  the  world.  Men  are  corrupt  j  faith 
has  diminished.  God  will  rectify  this  state  of  things. 
Let  us  be  followers  of  the  ancient  law,  and  not  of 
present  errors.  If  you  have  gained  by  your  education 
nothing  more  than  the  reasoning  that  you  affect,  I 
sincerely  pity  you." 

On  this  Jacob  ceased,  and  the  old  man,  before  so 
calm,  became  agitated,  and  looked  at  his  son  for  a 
reply.  The  serenity  of  spirit  of  this  man,  so  firm  in 
his  belief,  awoke  in  him  a  fear  similar  to  that  which 
had  kept  him  from  relighting  the  candle  on  the  Sab- 
bath. 


THE    SABBATH. 


75 


David,  junior,  replied  coolly  :  — 

"  Do  not  trouble  yourself  about  me,  I  beg  of  you, 
Monsieur  Jacob.  Every  one  to  his.  own  opinion.  Do 
not  go  yet.  Perhaps  I  can  ficd  a  way  to  satisfy  your 
demand  without  incurring  any  risk." 

"Thanks.  It  is  weak  of  me  to  implore  you  again 
to  help  an  unfortunate  whom  you  so  little  wish  to 
succour.  Still  a  few  more  words.  The  country  is  on 
the  eve  of  a  revolution.  The  result  is  doubtful,  but  it 
is  an  opportunity  for  us  to  gain  equal  rights  by  the 
sacrifice  of  our  blood.  Let  us  profit  by  it.  Many  of 
my  race  think  as  I  do." 

"Many?  How  many?  Who  are  they?  Do  you 
know  the  intentions  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon?  Are 
you  in  the  secrets  of  Lord  Palmerston  ?  Have  you 
received  the  confidences  of  the  Rothschilds?" 

"  I  can  only  tell  you  one  thing ;  it  is,  that  here  the 
most  sensible  men  are  of  my  opinion." 

"And  the  richest?" 

"  Yes,  the  richest  also,"  replied  Jacob,  with  an  in- 
voluntary smile. 

"  In  that  case,"  said  the  old  man,  "  we  must  take 
the  affair  into  consideration." 

"  As  for  the  object  of  my  visit,  I  regard  it  a  failure. 
I  can  only  excuse  myself  for  disturbing  you  at  such  an 
hour." 

Then  he  turned  to  go,  when  the  old  man  called  him 
back. 

"Wait!"  cried  he.  "A  glass  of  wine.  David, 
bring  the  three  rouble  Bordeaux.     Deign  to  taste  it, 


\ 


176,.  THE    JEW. 

Monsieur  Jacob.  Isolated,  as  we  are,  in  this  little 
village,  we  know  not  how  the  wind  blows.  Tell  us,  is 
there  anything  in  contemplation  ?  " 

"  You  had  better  find  -out  for  yourselves,  and  then 
you  can  decide  which  party  you  will  aid." 

"  Those  incorrigible  Poles  !  I  fear  they  are  en- 
gaging in  some  new  pranks." 

"  I  know  nothing,"  said  Jacob.  "  I  can  only  sur- 
mise. The  Muscovites  themselves  have  the  air  of 
hastening  the  explosion  of  this  foolishness  to  divert 
that  which  threatens  their  own  country,  '  holy  Russia.' 
Since  the  emancipation  of  the  serfs,  the  situation  has 
been  critical.  By  kindling  a  fire  in  Poland,  they  re- 
light the  national  hatred,  and  turn  away  the  public 
thoughts  from  Petersburg  and  Moscow  towards  the 
provinces.  It  is  the  only  way,  now  that  the  peasants 
give  proofs  of  discontent  and  the  revolutionary  idea 
is  propagated,  the  sole  method  of  reaffirming  the 
authority  of  the  Czar." 

"  What  admirable  teachers  !  "  cried  the  old  man. 
"  Profound  wisdom  like  that  is  the  gage  of  certain 
success.  Certainly,  that  is  the  side  we  had  better 
take." 

"As  a  nation,"  said  Jacob,  "we  have  been  con- 
quered more  than  once.  Always  in  place  of  attaching 
ourselves  to  the  triumphal  chariot,  we  have  remained 
faithful  to  the  cause  of  God." 

He  then  rose  to  leave  for  the  second  time,  but  the 
elder  David  was  ashamed  to  let  his  visitor  depart 
thus. 


THE    SABBATH. 


I77 


"  What,  then,  is  your  proposition?  "  asked  he. 

"  To  shelter  under  your  roof  an  outlaw.  This 
village  being  isolated,  the  risk  is  not  great." 

"Very  true,"  said  the  younger  man;  "but  in  a 
small  place  like  this,  where  every  one  is  acquainted, 
the  arrival  of  a  stranger  would  be  remarked." 

"Then  say  no  more  about  it,"  said  Jacob,  turning 
to  go.     "A  thousand  excuses  for  disturbing  you." 

This  time  he  really  took  his  departure. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  said  the  father  to  the  son  when  they 
were  alone,  "  that  we  did  not  find  some  way  to 
arrange  this  affair.  Jacob  has  excellent  connections. 
What  will  he  tell  them  of  us  ?  Truly,  he  cannot  have 
a  very  good  opinion." 

"  Bah  !  I  am,  perhaps,  of  your  opinion,  but  we 
could  not  do  otherwise.     Let  us  to  bed." 

The  protector  of  Ivas  returned  to  the  inn,  and  did 
not  awaken  his  companion,  who  was  wrapped  in  a 
deep  slumber.  He  threw  himself  on  the  bed,  and  his 
thoughts  kept  him  awake  the  greater  part  of  the 
night.  He  arose  early  to  seek  an  interview  with 
Jankiel,  whom  he  did  not  know  personally. 

Having  introduced  himself  to  the  old  man,  he  took 
part  in  the  morning  prayers,  and  then  told  him 
frankly  that  he  had  long  desired  his  acquaintance, 
and  that  he  addressed  him  full  of  confidence  in  his 
well-known  sentiments. 

This  frankness  pleased  Jankiel,  who  placed  his  hand 
on  his  visitor's  shoulder,  and  replied  kindly  :  — 

"  I  have  heard  of  you  as  a  man  on  whom  the  peo- 


THE    JEW. 


pie  of  IsraeF'^an  lean  with  confidence,  for,  in  spite 
of  your  known  learning,  you  guard  the  ancient  faith, 
customs,  and  practices,  and  honour  old  age.  In  all 
this  you  differ  from  many  of  our  young  mfcn.  May 
the  God  of  Isaac  and  Jacob  bless  you  !  Learned  men 
abound,  but  pious  ones  are  rare.  Our  customs  are 
neglected  ;  they  spit  on  the  tombs  of  our  ancestors,  and 
on  all  that  past  ages  have  taught  us  to  respect." 

"  I  fear  I  am  not  "possessed  of  all  with  which  you 
credit  me,  but  I  try  not  to  disgrace  my  ancient  faith 
and  lineage." 

"And  where  do  you  come  from  now?  " 

"  From  foreign  parts.  I  have  visited  almost  all 
countries  inhabited  by  the  Jews,  and^everywhere  I 
have  verified  their  deplorable  misery." 

"  Have  you  visited  the  land  of  our  fathers?  " 

"  Yes,  but  even  there  the  Jews  are  not  at  home. 
They  are  strangers  even  in  their  own  country." 

At  this  moment  Jankiel  remembered  a  citation 
from  the  Prophet  Jeremiah,  to  which  Jacob  replied  by 
the  following  passage  from  the  Talmud  :  — 

"  '  The  hands  of  the  divine  mercy  are  always  out- 
stretched under  the  wings  of  the  Seraphim  to  receive 
the  repentant  sinner.'  "      (Pesakhim  119.  a.) 

Jankiel  was  enchanted  to  hear  the  young  man 
quote  the  Talmud,  so  neglected  by  the  present  genera- 
tion.    He  blessed  him,  with  emotion,  and  said  :  — 

"  My  heart  goes  out  to  you,  and  I  would  be  glad 
to  give  you  a  proof  of  my  sympathy.  Speak,  and  tell 
me  what  service  you  require  of  me." 


THE    SABBATH. 


179 


"  I  come  to  you  with  a  petition  that  I  have  al- 
ready, but  in  vain,  addressed  to  David,  your  neigh- 
bour." 

At  the  name  of  David  the  old  man  frowned,  but 
quickly  replied  :  — 

"That  need  not  deter  you.     I  am  listening." 

Jacob  related  the  history  of  Ivas,  and  asked  Jan- 
kiel's  advice. 

"  The  circumstances,"  replied  the  old  man,  after  a 
moment  of  thought,  "-are  difficult.  We  ought,  how- 
ever, to  side  with  the  persecuted  and  not  with  the  op- 
pressor. '  Among  birds  the  strongest  always  attack  the 
pigeon  and  the  dove,  which  are  the  most  acceptable ' 
offerings  to  the  Lord.'  (Baba  Kama,  93.  a.)  Un- 
happy Poland  !  We  have  lived  with  her  people  on  the 
same  soil  for  five  hundred  years.  We  ought  not  to 
forget  that.  It  is  true  she  is  not  of  our  faith,  but  God 
does  not  command  to  kill  even  infidels.  *  Be  at  peace 
with  all  thy  brothers,  with  thy  neighbours,  with  all 
men,  even  the  Pagan.'     (Barakhot,  17.  a.)" 

"  Beautiful  words  !  If  all  observed  them  the  world 
would  b~  better." 

"  Unhappy  nation  !  She  has  passed  through  the 
most  frightful  calamities,  and  greater  horrors  still 
threaten  her.  She  wishes  to  break  her  chains,  and  at 
each  attempt  these  chains  are  more  tightly  welded. 
God  has  humiliated  her  because  she  has  counted  more 
on  human  strength  than  on  divine  clemency.  Her 
pride  is  not  yet  broken.  Poor  country  !  If  we  are 
unable  to  help  her,  at  least  we  can  pray  God  to  pro- 


1S0  THE    JEW. 

tect  her.  Where  is  the  young  man?  What  do  you 
intend  to  do  with  him?  " 

"  Ivas  is  with  me,  but  I  can  keep  him  only  with 
great  trouble.  In  his  ardour  he  would  throw  him- 
self into  the  hands  of  those  who  seek  him.  I  desire  to 
procure  him  shelter  for  awhile.  But  where?  Will  he 
be  prudent  and  obedient?  I  hope  I  can  persuade 
him  of  the  necessity." 

"  If  you  had  not  first  appealed  to  David,  I  would 
have  received  him  into  my  house.  Now  I  dare  not. 
I  have  a  room  in  the  attic  where  he  would  have  been 
in  safety,  but  it  is  too  late.  An  accusation  is  to  be 
feared.    I  could  buy  myself  off,  but  he  would  be  lost." 

"  Do  you  not  know  of  some  house,  some  friend,  in 
the  country?  " 

"  Ah  !  yes  ;  I  see  my  way  out  of  this  embarrassment. 
I  know  some  honest  men  who  live  in  the  depths  of 
a  forest.  Early  to-morrow  I  will  take  him  to  them 
in  my  wagon.     But  he  must  be  on  his  guard." 

Jacob  embraced  Jankiel  with  effusion. 

"  Never  mind  thanking  me  so  warmly,"  said  the 
latter  with  emotion.  "  I  am  happy  to  oblige  you,  and 
also  your  friend,  who  loves  his  country  and  liberty  as 
we  formerly  loved  Judea.  However,  in  the  name  of 
Heaven,  if  you  have  any  influence  with  the  Poles,  try 
to  restrain  them.  The  enemy  lies  in  wait  for  them, 
and  already  rejoices  in  anticipation  of  the  spoils  and 
the  cruelties  he  will  accomplish  when  the  anticipated 
insurrection  has  been  crushed.  There  is  nothing 
gained  by  setting  fire  to  one's  own  house  in  order  to 


THE    SABBATH.  181 

drive  out  invaders.  They  must  be  wary  and  use 
strategy." 

"  Your  words  are  full  of  wisdom,  but  men  are  rarely 
guided  by  reason.  Suffering  and  misfortune  are  bad 
counsellors." 

Jacob  informed  Ivas  of  the  result  of  his  visit,  and 
added :  — 

"  I  have  done  all  that  I  could.  Now  it  is  for  you 
to  be  careful  not  to  fall  again  into  the  claws  of  the 
Muscovite.  You  will  be  informed  if  you  are  in  dan- 
ger, so  that  you  can  leave  your  hiding-place." 


182  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE    EVE    OF   AN    INSURRECTION. 

After  his  absence  of  several  years,  Jacob  was  sur- 
prised at  the  aspect  which  Poland  presented.  An  ex- 
travagant and  foolish  hope  and  excitement  prevailed 
everywhere.  The  most  improbable  rumours  were 
accepted  without  question.  All  hearts  rejoiced,  and 
for  the  second  time  all  hands  were  outstretched  toward 
that  France,  which  was,  however,  transformed  into  a 
sort  of  machine,  obeying  the  capricious  will  of  one 
man.  Wonders  were  announced  from  Russia.  The 
Muscovites  were  preparing  an  outbreak,  and  from  this 
terrible  uprising  would  come  a  reconciliation  with 
Poland. 

The  tolerance  of  the  government,  a  feigned  and 
calculated  tolerance,  passed  for  weakness  and  impo- 
tence. Russia,  it  was  said,  had  changed ;  she  had 
weakened,  and  was  no  longer  capable  of  repressing  a 
patriotic  rebellion.  She  was  afraid,  and  the  fear  was 
believed  on  account  of  easy  concessions,  which  were 
really  made  in  order  to  precipitate  the  revolutionary 
movement.  All  this  was  to  the  secret  satisfaction  of 
the  Czar  and  his  ministers,  who  directed  a  course  of 
action  full  of  ambuscades  and  of  deceit. 

The    propaganda  of  Hertzen,  Bakounine,  Ogaref, 


THE    EVE    OF  AN  INSURRECTION.        1S3 

Golovine,  Dolgorouky,  —  legatees  of  the  ideas  of  the 
Decabristes,  —  had  not  been  entirely  unsuccessful  in 
the  cause  of  true  Russia,  the  ancient  Moscovie.  They 
had  worked  on  the  youth  of  the  universities,  they  had 
penetrated  the  army  and  the  navy,  they  had  sprung  up 
even  in  the  garrets  and  in  the  country.  The  govern- 
ment had  been  obliged  to  capitulate  before  them. 
They  were  so  strong  at  present,  that  it  was  hoped  by 
the  precipitation  of  the  Polish  insurrection  to  divert 
the  public  attention  from  the  greater  danger  which 
threatened  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow.  Thus  the 
poor  Poles  were  unconsciously  led  on  to  their  own 
destruction.  It  was  permitted  to  the  Katkof  and  to 
the  Aksakof  to  turn  insidiously  the  aspirations  for 
liberty  into  a  current  of  national  hatred. 

In  the  last  repression  of  Poland,  the  Russia  of 
Alexander  II.  was  more  barbarous,  more  pitiless,  than 
the  Russia  of  Catharine  and  of  Nicholas.  As  for 
Europe,  which  was  formerly  agitated  at  the  sight  of 
these  crushed  people,  she  regarded  with  cold  indif- 
ference the  hanging  of  Mouravief,  and  the  wholesale 
exile  of  the  people  who  strewed  the  route  from  the 
Vistula  to  the  Lena  with  corpses.  Such  is  the  sym- 
pathy of  Europe  in  this  mercenary  age,  when  self- 
interest  is  too  highly  esteemed  to  be  endangered  by 
taking  the  side  of  the  oppressed. 

At  times  Jacob  refused  to  believe  his  eyes  and  ears, 
men  seemed  so  different  from  what  he  had  imagined 
them.  Their  language  and  their  deportment  were  no 
longer  the  same.     His  first  visit  in  Warsaw  was  paid 


184  THE    JEW. 

to  his  former  guardian.  He  found  him  absent,  and 
it  was  rumoured,  engaged  in  important  enterprises. 
On  returning  from  his  house  he  met  Henri  Segel, 
for  whom  his  aversion  had  augmented  since,  on  the 
route  from  Genoa  to  Spezzia,  he  had  encountered 
him  in  company  with  the  danseuse  Gigante.  He 
recoiled  and  blushed  on  hearing  the  joyous  voice  of 
Mathilde's  husband. 

"  Really,  this  is  a  surprise,"  said  Henri.  "  You 
are  more  astonished  to  see  me  here  than  in  Italy? 
Well,  we  live  in  changeable  times.  Mathilde  did 
not  like  Italy,  and  was  determined  to  return  to  la 
cara  patria.  I  consented  to  come,  for  urgent  busi- 
ness made  it  necessary  for  me  to  do  so.  How  de- 
lighted I  am  to  see  you  again,  Monsieur  Jacob  !  I 
am  on  my  way  home,  and  willingly  or  by  force  you 
must  come  with  me.  I  am  anxious  to  show  yon  my 
new  residence.  It  is  a  lovely  house ;  a  jewel,  com- 
fortable, elegant,  and  in  good  taste.  Come  and  help 
me  amuse  Mathilde.  Always  sad  and  weary,  she 
communicates  to  me  her  sadness.  She  is  an  incom- 
prehensible woman ;  in  fact,  all  women  are  incompre- 
hensible. My  wife  wants  for  nothing.  She  has  only  to 
ask  in  order  to  obtain  silks,  jewels,  —  everything  that 
would  make  most  women  happy.  But  she  is  always 
discontented ;  an  unhappy  disposition  !  Come,  let 
us  go  ! " 

"Truly  I  have  not  much  time.  I  have  only  just 
arrived,  and  I  have  business  to  attend  to." 

"  Your  business  will  keep.     Mathilde  will  be  de- 


THE    EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION.        185 

lighted  to  see  you.  You  will  be  doing  her  a  special 
favour.     Come,  then,  I  pray  you  !  " 

Jacob  felt  that  he  ought  to  refuse,  but  the  tempta- 
tion was  too  great.  To  see  her  again  !  Duty  for- 
bade it,  his  heart  demanded  it,  and  his  heart  led  him. 

Henri  took  his  arm  as  if  to  prevent  his  escape, 
and  conducted  him  to  his  home. 

"Look  well  at  Warsaw,"  said  he  gayly.  "What 
changes  everywhere  !  " 

•"It  is  true,"  said  Jacob.  "These  transformations 
I  feel,  but  I  cannot  explain  them." 

"  Enormous  changes  !  The  general  exaltation  is 
complete  !  The  hand  is  on  the  trigger.  A  revolu- 
tion is  imminent." 

"  May  God  preserve  us  from  it !  "  said  Jacob. 

"  It  is  inevitable,  or  else  I  am  a  fool.  I  can  smell 
powder ;  but,  in  any  case,  it  cannot  hurt  us.  Naturally, 
there  will  be  many  victims,  and  it  behooves  us  to 
manoeuvre  not  to  be  caught  in  the  wheels  of  this 
machine,  which  rolls  and  crushes.  We  have  every- 
thing to  gain,  whatever  be  the  result,  whichever  be 
the  conqueror." 

"I  avow  that  I  do  not  comprehend  you." 

"  From  either  side  we  shall  obtain  civil  equality. 
That  is  certain.  Afterward  we  shall  not  be  ruined, 
even  if  we  throw  millions  into  the  abyss.  Our  capital 
is  not  seizable  like  that  of  the  landed  nobles,  whose 
estates  can  be  so  easily  confiscated,  but  our  wealth  is 
portable ;  gold  and  jewels  chiefly  comprise  it.  We 
shall  save  our  fortunes,  and  there  lies  our  strength. 


0? 


1 86  THE    JEW.  . 

The  Muscovites  will  prevail  in  the  end ;  the  odious 
class  of  proud  Polish  nobles  will  disappear,  and  we 
shall  be  the  aristocrats  to  whom  the  country  will 
belong." 

"The  truth  of  your  calculation  may  be  proved, 
perhaps \  its  cruelty  is  unsurpassed.  With  what  in- 
difference you  discount  the  misfortunes  of  those  who 
form  the  basis  of  your  argument  !  "  said  Jacob. 

"  What  else  can  I  do  ?  Can  I  prevent  this  upris- 
ing? Ought  we  not  to  profit  by  circumstances  ?  Be- 
lieve me,  the  Jews  hold  to-day  in  their  hand  the 
future  of  Poland.  Yesterday  despised,  soon  we  shall 
be  the  masters  !  Look  at  the  nobility  !  What  is  it? 
A  band  without  strength,  who  guard  their  pride  of 
birth,  their  arrogance,  their  corruptions,  their  eccen- 
tricities, and  foolish  indifference ;  they  have  all  the 
faults  of  their  ancestors,  and  none  of  their  virtues. 
It  is  a  caste  surely  fated  to  die.  Such  a  caste 
cannot  exist  now-a-days.  And  if  society  still  demands 
a  sort  of  modified  aristocracy,  who  will  replace  the 
nobles?      Who  but  we?  " 

"  You  know  that  I  am  a  Jew,  heart  and  soul,"  said 
Jacob ;  "  but  I  pity  Poland  if  your  prophecy  is  accom- 
plished." 

"And  why?" 

"  Because  we  are  not  ready  for  the  role  you  lay  out 
for  us.  We  have  not  deserved,  by  our  conduct,  to  be 
the  arbiters  of  this  country.  And  to  tell  the  whole 
truth,  our  community  is  more  corrupt  than  the  nobles ; 
it  is  already  worm-eaten." 


THE    EVE    OF   AN  INSURRECTION.        187 

"  Not  so  bad  as  they,  though." 

"  Our  malady  is  different  from  theirs,  but  it  is  as 
dangerous." 

"  Oh,  no  !  Because  we  know  how  to  acquire  and 
preserve  this  wealth,  while  the  nobles  do  not  know 
anything  of  business,  nor  how  to  manage  their  vast 
estates  economically.  The  strength  of  money,  the 
strength  of  capital,  is  the  only  real  power  in  this 
century." 

"  An  opportunity,  as  you  have  remarked,"  said 
Jacob,  "  is  presented  to  the  Jews  of  Poland  to  play  an 
important  role  ;  as  important  as  the  one  they  already 
hold  in  Germany.  Will  they  understand  their  advan- 
tageous position  ?  Will  they  be  worthy  of  it  ?  Two 
questions  to  which  God  alone  can  reply." 

Segel  burst  out  laughing. 

"  You  are  a  pious  Jew,"  cried  he.  "  In  everything 
you  mix  the  idea  of  God.  These  old  superstitions  are 
completely  worn  out." 

"  And  that  is  precisely  what  afflicts  me.  We  have 
torn  our  belief  to  tatters,  but  under  them  is  gold." 

"What  use  of  speaking  of  the  debris  of  a  past 
which  will  never  return?  There  is  my  house;  it 
cost  more  than  a  half  million.  I  will  do  the  honours, 
and  we  will  go  afterward  to  find  Mathilde." 

He  looked  at  his  watch. 

"  Saperlotte!  I  am  expected  at  the  Bourse  in  half 
an  hour ;  but  I  have  still  time  to  stay  a  few  moments 
with  you ;  then  you  can  await  me  with  Mathilde.  I 
will  despatch  my  business  at  a  gallop." 


1 88  THE    JEW. 

The  mansion  was  spacious  and  elegant,  but  with  a 
vulgar  display  of  wealth.  No  taste,  refinement,  or 
sentiment  for  art.  It  was  built  on  one  of  those  plans 
which  serve  at  the  same  time  for  private  houses  or 
hotels.  Superb  mirrors  with  gilded  frames,  furniture 
covered  with  velvet  hangings  of  great  price,  wonder- 
ful inlaid  floors,  rare  bronzes,  crystal  chandeliers, 
porcelain  from  China  and  Japan,  costly  bric-a-brac, 
and  a  general  tone  of  vulgar  display ;  such  was  the 
dwelling,  where,  in  the  least  details,  one  could  see 
that  the  proprietor  had  everywhere  sought  to  dazzle 
his  guests,  and  confound  taste  with  costliness. 

During  the  inspection  he  several  times  spoke 
thus : — 

"  This  bibelot  cost  me  a  hundred  ducats ;  this  vase 
is  worth  a  thousand  roubles."  * 

The  ostentatious  mansion  was  worthy  of  a  de- 
throned king  or  of  a  prince  in  partibus.  The  gen- 
eral air  of  the  house,  nevertheless,  was  that  of  solitude 
and  ennui.  The  rooms  seemed  uninhabited.  In 
spite  of  their  proportions,  there  was  something  want- 
ing.    Nothing  seemed  homelike  or  cheerful. 

Segel  even  conducted  Jacob  to  the  pretentious 
kitchen,  provided  with  a  constant  flow  of  running 
water.  There  was  a  tank  filled  with  fish,  and  many 
other  inventions  more  or  less  ingenious. 

As  soon  as  his  host  had  left  him  to  go  and  inform 
his  wife,  Jacob  threw  himself  on  a  couch;  he  was 
overpowered  with  fatigue  and  disgusted  with  all  this 
show,  and  pitied  Mathilde  more  than  ever. 


THE    EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION.       189 

Madame  Segel  soon  entered  slowly ;  she  was  very 
pale,  and  was  almost  unable  to  walk  alone.  She 
saluted  her  friend  with  a  sweet  smile  tinged  with 
melancholy.  In  her  sunken  eyes  burned  a  strange 
fire. 

"Welcome  home  from  Italy,  monsieur,"  said  she, 
holding  out  her  hand.  "  I  longed  to  return  home ; 
but  what  matters  it,  here  or  there,  it  is  all  the  same." 

"  No  doubt  life,  regarded  in  all  its  gravity,  is  full 
of  sadness  everywhere,"  said  Jacob. 

"Why  the  devil  do  you  regard  it  thus?"  cried 
Henri,  offering  Jacob  a  little  glass  of  brandy.  "  I 
almost  forgot  the  Bourse.  I  have  hardly  time  to 
swallow  anything.  Dear  Mathilde,  be  good  enough  to 
keep  our  guest  until  my  return.  I  confide  him  to  you  ; 
do  not  let  him  escape.  I  will  be  absent  only  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour." 

He  rang. 

"Are  the  horses  ready?  "  asked  he  of  the  servant. 

"Yes,  monsieur." 

"That  is  good.  Au  revoir.  Without  further  ex- 
cuse I  leave  you  with  my  wife,"  said  he,  kissing  his 
wife's  hand.  "  If  you  are  at  loss  for  conversation,  she 
can  play  the  piano  or  sing  something.  You  will  find 
the  daily  papers  on  the  table.  Very  poor  reading,  I 
assure  you,  but,  for  want  of  something  better  "  — 

When  he  had  gone  they  remained  silent  for  some 
time,  not  daring  to  look  at  each  other.  At  last 
Mathilde  sighed,  and  held  out  her  hand  to  him,  mur- 
muring :  — 


190  THE    JEW. 

"Jacob,  we  are  old  and  good  friends,  and  nothing 
more,  are  we  not?" 

"  Madame,"  replied  he  respectfully,  "  time  has  not 
changed  me,  and  the  confidence  you  have  in  me  will 
not  be  betrayed." 

"When  we  seek  to  keep  apart,"  said  Mathilde, 
"  fate  reunites  us.  It  is  a  temptation.  Let  us  remain 
worthy  of  ourselves  and  worthy  of  our  past,  so  pure. 
I  cannot  understand  Henri.  Ordinarily  he  is  so  jeal- 
ous. He  does  not  like  to  leave  me  alone  with  men. 
And  to-day  he  has  acted  so  differently.  Is  it  confi- 
dence or  indifference?     I  will  ask  him." 

"  What  matters  it  ?  Tell  me  how  you  are,  and  why 
you  left  Italy  so  soon?  " 

"Because  there  is  suffering  everywhere,  death 
everywhere.  Since  my  marriage  I  am  stricken  at  the 
heart.  I  must  suffer,  here  or  there.  I  am  always 
suffering." 

"  And  your  health  ?  " 

"  The  soul  alone  is  ill.     But  speak  of  yourself." 

«I  —  I  have  neither  the  time  nor  the  right  to 
suffer.  Man  lives  not  by  sentiment,  but  by  action. 
It  is  this  which  renders  us  at  the  same  time  more 
miserable  and  more  happy.  In  the  struggle  for  exist- 
ence, when  we  receive  a  wound,  we  have  no  right  to 
think  of  it,  and  we  must  continue  the  combat.  Even 
you,  madame,  why  not  seek  a  remedy  for  your  sor- 
row?—  an  occupation,  some  aim  in  life." 

"  Occupations,  my  dear  Jacob,  are  very  limited  for 
a  woman  without  children.     Without  them,  what  ob- 


THE    EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION.        191 

ject  in  life  has  a  woman?  Do  you  think  that  to  sew 
and  embroider  can  tranquillize  a  soul?  " 

"  Reading,  music,  and  poetry  are  inexhaustible 
sources  of  enjoyment.  Believe  me,  madame,  days 
well  employed  are  not  followed  by  satiety,  regret,  nor 
remorse.  Those  who  have  not  the  creative  genius 
can  assimilate  immortal  creations.  It  is  a  voluptuous 
life  that  draws  away  from  the  cares  of  existence." 

"  Alas  !  to  follow  your  advice  it  had  been  necessary 
to  be  initiated  to  this  manner  of  living,  and  to  be  ac- 
customed to  it." 

"You  can  form  the  habit." 

"  I  have  already,  thank  Heaven,  an  occupation  in 
music.  It  soothes  me,  absorbs  me,  and  passes  the 
time.  But  music  occupies  only  a  little  corner  in  my 
heart,  and  cannot  fill  it  entirely." 

"  Reading,  then." 

"  Reading  unveils  to  us  too  much  the  secrets  of 
life.     I  speak  of  romances,  the  drama,  and  poetry." 

"  In  that  case  seek,  and  you  will  find,  some  more 
serious  occupation." 

"  I  will  try.  But  enough  of  this.  Speak  to  me, 
Jacob,  of  yourself.  For  what  have  you  returned? 
What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"  I  return,  heart  and  soul  full  of  ideas,  and  more  an 
Israelite  than  ever.  I  bring  back  projects  of  reform, 
of  labour,  and  of  sacrifice  for  my  people.  My  views 
are  almost  presumptuous.  I  dream  of  being  a  Bar 
Maimonides.  There  is  so  much  to  do  for  our  poor 
race." 


1 92  THE    JEW. 

"  Do  you  believe  it  ?  Do  you  think  that  you  can 
unite  these  scattered  people  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  provided  that  my  strength  holds  out.  The 
task  will  be  difficult,  arduous,  and  redoubtable." 

"  Who  will  be  your  disciples  ?  The  believers  re- 
main attached  to  their  foolish  superstitions.  They 
will  repulse  you  as  a  new  kind  of  heretic.  The  un- 
believers and  the  indifferent  will  listen  to  you  as  to  a 
mad  poet,  and  will  ridicule  you." 

"The  prophets  have  often  been *repulsed  by  the 
crowd,  who  have  even  at  times  stoned  them  to  death. 
But  each  one  of  them  has  left  in  history  traces  of  his 
passage,  and  the  grain  that  they  have  sown  has 
germinated." 

"Then  you  will  have  the  courage  of  a  martyr? 
You  deceive  yourself,  however,  if  you  think  that  you 
will  be  riddled  with  stones  in  public  places  where  you 
preach.  You  will,  instead,  have  jokes  thrown  at  you  ; 
you  will  be  called  a  fool,  and  covered  with  ridicule. 
That  will  be  a  shabby  martyrdom,  absurd  and  insult- 
ing. The  stoning  would  be  preferable.  Sarcasm  is 
a  mighty  weapon." 

"  When  a  man  is  absorbed,  inspired,  and  exalted, 
full  of  the  truth  that  is  within  him,  he  does  not  see 
the  pygmies  in  the  crowd.  It  is  the  crowd,  the  mass 
only,  that  he  sees.  When  so  many  of  our  people 
dream  of  nothing  but  money  getting,  no  matter  how, 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  some  one  should  take 
an  interest  in  the  moral  elevation  of  souls,  and  devote 
himself  entirely  to  this  holy  mission." 


THE    EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION.        193 

*  How  happy  should  I  be  to  be  your  pupil  !  but  I 
fear  I  am  not  capable  of  understanding  such  science, 
such  wisdom.  At  times  it  seems  as  if  I  can  foresee 
the  future,  but,  really,  I  am  very  ignorant.  Write  out 
your  thoughts  and  I  will  read  them.  I  will  learn- 
them  by  heart,  and  I  will  spread  them  among  those 
of  my  own  sex  who  are  deprived  of  the  consolation 
of  faith  in  God.  Unfortunately,  if  you  are  a  Barak,  I 
am  not  a  Deborah." 

Jacob  was  about  to  reply  when  the  door  opened, 
giving  entrance  to  Mathilde's  father  and  husband,  ac- 
companied by  Mann  and  Simon. 

Henri  had  informed  them  of  Jacob's  arrival,  and 
they  were  all  invited  to  dinner.  The  acceptance  on 
the  part  of  an  important  person,  like  Mann,  was  ex- 
traordinary, for  he  usually  made  some  excuse,  and 
declined  all  ordinary  invitations. 

Jacob's  former  guardian  ran  to  him  with  open  arms, 
and  cried  :  — 

11  Welcome  !  I  embrace  you,  and  wish  you  much 
happiness,  Rabbi  Jacob." 

Mann  cried  at  the  same  time  :  — 

"  I  am  rejoiced  to  hold  your  hand  after  so  long  an 
absence." 

"How  do  you  return  to   us,   Akiba  or  /atheist?'')  j^Jfi*OJV 
asked  the  jovial  Simon. 

"  Neither  one  nor  the  other.  I  am  the  same  as 
ever,  only  a  little  more  alarmed  as  to  the  future." 

"  Then  it  was  not  worth  while  to  leave  Poland," 
replied  Simon,  "  and  you  arrived  just  in  time  to  assist 
in  a  revolution." 


I94  THE    JEW. 

"  It  is  no  laughing  matter,"  said  Henri. 

"  I  am  not  joking,"  said  Simon.  "  I  am  organiz- 
ing, myself,  a  regiment  of  Jewish  gamins,  that  I  shall 
lead  to  combat  seated  in  a  sedan  chair.  In  place  of 
a  gun  I  will  have  my  umbrella." 

"  Such  pleasantry  is  ill-timed,"  replied  Mathilde's 
father.     "  We  are  on  the  eve  of  grave  events." 

"  It  is  every  day  more  apparent.     Alas  !  " 

"  Your  '  alas,'  Father  Simon,  shows  that  you  con- 
demn these  revolutionary  tendencies." 

"  How  can  I  approve  them?  " 

"  It  is  useless  to  oppose  public  opinion,"  remarked 
Mann ;  "  these  fools  will  not  listen  to  reason.  When 
reason  speaks  they  are  deaf  as  a  post.  The  best 
thing  we  can  do  is  to  look  out  for  ourselves." 

"The  safest  thing,"  added  Simon,  "  is  to  conceal 
ourselves  during  the  combat." 

"Certainly.  Why  should  we  mix  in  it?"  said 
Mann  approvingly. 

"To  speak  seriously,"  said  Jacob,  " there  is,  per- 
haps, another  line  of  conduct  to  follow." 

"The  catastrophe  is  not  yet  certain,"  observed 
Henri,  "  for  there  are  among  them  many  reasonable 
men." 

Mann  rose  from  his  seat  and  cried  :  — 

"  The  catastrophe  is  certain.  It  cannot  be  other- 
wise with  a  clique  of  proud  and  degenerated  men 
guided  by  their  passions  and  not  by  reason." 

"Dear  Monsieur  Mann,  and  what  of  us?"  asked 
Simon.  "Are  we  neither  degenerate  nor  proud? 
Speak  1  "  i     .  , 


THE    EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION.        195 

"  We  are  not  to  be  compared  with  those  men.  We 
are  worth  much  more." 

"  That  is  true.  They  are  blind,  we  are  only  lame. 
The  Jews  are  peaceable  men,  suited  only  for  business. 
When  there  is  disorder  in  the  streets  they  close  their 
shops." 

"  My  faith  !  they  are  sensible  to  do  so." 

"Thus  said  my  late  papa,"  murmured  Simon.  "It 
is  a  sacred  duty  to  follow  his  advice." 

"You  are  always  joking." 

"And  you,  the  day  when  you  joke  I  will  abstain 
from  it.  If  no  one  throws  a  note  of  gayety  into  the 
conversation,  they  would  say  that  Heine  carried  all 
the  Jewish  spirit  into  his  tomb.  It  is  a  service  I  ren- 
der you  all.  Mann,  you  do  not  know  the  efforts  that 
you  cost  me." 

The  grave  Israelite,  wounded  in  his  self-love,  walked 
up  and  down  the  room,  puffing  and  grumbling. 

"  And  how  does  the  country  seem  to  you,  dear 
Jacob?  "  asked  Mathilde's  father. 

"  Very  much  changed.  How  things  have  changed 
for  us  !  " 

"  Why  do  you  say  us  ?  "  asked  Simon.  "  The  half,  at 
least,  of  our  people  do  not  take  part  in  this  with  us." 

"The  question  is  much  discussed  by  the  press." 

"  But,  in  general,  public  opinion  favours  us." 

"Yes,  in  appearance,"  replied  Mann.  "The 
Poles  affect  to  be  liberal,  but,  at  heart,  they  remain 
feudal  aristocrats,  incorrigible,  and  puffed  up  with 
pride." 


196  THE    JEW. 

"  Listen,"  interrupted  Simon,  "  to  a  word  of  advice. 
Do  not  speak  of  men  '  puffed  up  with  pride.'  It  is 
inconsistent  on  your  part." 

The  great  man  looked  at  Simon,  and  said  scorn- 
fully :  — 

"  You  are  only  an  old  fault-finder." 

"  Fault-finder,  if  you  will,  but  look  at  yourself  in 
the  glass  before  you  reproach  others  with  being 
proud.  Are  you  more  approachable,  more  cordial, 
more  charitable,  than  L.  P.  K.,  or  many  other  nobles  ? 
They  have  their  heraldry,  you  your  millions.  Two 
different  causes,  but  both  alike  result  in  pride." 

"  Hold  your  peace,  you  are  insufferable,"  cried  the 
rich  man. 

Then  he  murmured  between  his  teeth,  "  What  an 
impudent  fellow  !  " 

Henri  and  his  father-in-law  laughed  heartily  at  his 
wrath. 

"  Dear  brother  in  Israel,"  continued  Simon  calmly, 
"  each  time  that  the  nobles  have  a  bad  odour  smell 
yourself.  You  will  discover  the  same  odour.  You 
are  at  heart  an  aristocrat,  but  you  lack  the  title." 

"Enough  !     Enough  !  "  cried  Mann. 

"  No  !  It  is  not  enough.  I  must  get  rid  of  my 
bile.  If  I  do  not  I  shall  stifle,  and  that  would  be  sad 
for  me  at  first,  for  you  afterward,  if  you  wish  to  pay 
my  debts.  We  were  speaking  of  pride.  Very  well. 
If  we  have  not  crests  surmounted  with  coronets,  nor 
three  hundred  years  of  nobility"  — 

"  Enough,  I  say  !     Enough  !  " 


THE    EVE    OF  AN  INSURRECTION. 


97 


"  Certainly,  if  you  insist."  And  at  last  Simon  con- 
sented to  be  silent. 

Mann  sulked  awhile,  then  said  to  Jacob  :  — 

"  What  news  do  you  bring  from  Jerusalem  ?  What  is 
the  condition  of  the  Jews  there  ?     How  do  they  live  ?  " 

"  In  misery.  They  ask  our  aid  to  help  them  em- 
igrate to  foreign  lands.  They  await  the  signal  of  re- 
generation from  us.  We  ought  to  listen  to  their 
appeal." 

"You  wish,  then,  to  direct  the  world?" 

"  I  have  not  that  pretension.  Akiba,  however,  was 
only  a  shepherd  before  he  became  a  sage.  I  might, 
perhaps,  follow  his  example." 

"  It  is  the  contrary  with  which  you  are  threatened, 
if  you  do  not  change  your  conduct,"  cried  Simon. 
"  From  a  sage  you  will  become  a  shepherd." 

His  guardian  laughed  good-naturedly,  and  said  :  — 
"  Simon  predicts  the  future  well.      Instead  of  re- 
forming  humanity,  apply   yourself    to    business,   and 
leave  God,  in  his  wisdom,  to  direct  the  world  accord- 
ing to  his  own  plans." 

"Can  we  not  become  the  instruments  of  God? 
Ought  we  not  to  try  and  accomplish  his  designs?  I 
have  no  wish  to  amass  wealth.  I  am  sufficiently 
rich." 

"  If  your  whim  is  to  be  a  second  Akiba,"  replied 
Simon,  "  I  doubt  if  you  will  succeed.  From  the 
ashes  of  Akiba  have  sprung  up  Borne  and  Heine. 
The  precepts  of  Heine  in  a  book  are  fine ;  in  flesh 
and  blood,  inconvenient." 


198  THE    JEW. 

"  I  do  not  like  Heine,"  said  Jacob. 

They  all  exclaimed  against  this  sacrilegious  preju- 
dice. 

"  Why  do  you  dislike  him  ?  He  represented  in  his 
day  the  true  contemporaneous  spirit  of  the  Jews  with 
the  Kladderadatch." 

"  I  do  not  like  him,  because  his  spirit  is  a  spirit  of 
destruction,  debauchery  of  thought,  debauchery  of 
language,  irony,  scepticism,  and  abasement  of  human 
nature.  All  these  are  scattered  among  the  pearls  and 
diamonds.  It  is  no  less  corruption  though  the  author 
be  remarkable  for  talent  and  genius.  It  is  from  this 
very  corruption  that  we  should  free  ourselves,  for  it  is 
a  presage  of  death ;  it  is  the  death-rattle." 

"  Then,"  finished  Simon,  "Judceorum  finis." 

"  Yes.  Finis  Judceorum  et  Juddismi  finis." 
The  people  of  Israel  resemble  a  man  who,  having  pre- 
served intact  a  treasure  during  a  journey  of  a  thousand 
leagues  through  forests  full  of  brigands,  lost  it  in  a 
puddle  at  the  door  of  his  house.  This  treasure  is  our 
faith,  and  it  is  in  danger." 

"  Dear  Jacob,  why  do  we  always  speak  of  religion 
and  morality?  You  really  believe,  then,  that  they 
exist  somewhere?" 

"  If  they  are  dead,  we  should  employ  means  to  re- 
suscitate them." 

"  Decidedly  he  is  mad,"  muttered  Mann  to  himself. 
Then  he  added  in  a  loud  voice  :  — 

"  I  should  be  proud  of  such  an  honour,  but  I  am 
unworthy." 


THE   EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION. 


99 


"And  I,"  said  Simon, "  I  advise  you  to  devote  your 
energies  to  a  task  less  likely  to  prove  disappointing. 
For  example,  seek  in  the  Talmud  the  things  forbidden 
to  a  Jewish  stomach.  Maimonides  has  counted 
twenty- four.  With  a  little  perseverance  you  can  get 
it  up  to  thirty.  What  a  glorious  discovery  that  would 
be!" 

"What  matters  the  number  of  dishes,"  said  Jacob. 
"  Yet  the  prohibition  has  produced  good  results,  be- 
cause it  has  set  a  limit  to  gormandizing." 

"  If  you  only  knew,  dear  friend,"  said  Simon, 
"what  a  savour  there  is  in  a  sausage  !  A  wealthy 
proprietor  of  Volhynie,  although  originally  an  Israel- 
ite, ate  them  to  satiety,  and  afterward  said  :  '  I  stuff 
myself  with  sausages,  for  I  eat  them  for  myself  and 
for  my  ancestors,  who  never  tasted  them  during  many 
generations.' " 

"Truly,"  cried  Henri,  "the  conversation  takes  an 
agreeable  turn,  thanks  to  sausages." 

Mann,  wearied  with  the  lamentations  of  Jacob  and 
the  jests  of  Simon,  started  a  new  subject. 

"Has  any  one  here,"  asked  he,  "  been  at  the  house 
of  Count  A.  Z.  lately  ?  "  QUy^SJU^    2  (AAVJ^JtC 

The  count  was  a  person  whose  popularity  increased 
daily,  though  it  might  be  fleeting. 

"  I,"  responded  the  indefatigable  Simon. 

"And  you  were  received?" 

"Why  not?" 

"  Very  well.     What  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  Always  the  same  sobriety  of  words.     His  theory, 


200  THE    JEW. 

like  that  of  all  the  nobles,  is  that  the  Jews  ought  to 
work  to  obtain  their  rights,  —  like  apprentices,  in  order 
to  pass  their  companions  and  masters." 

"  He  is  right,  up  to  a  certain  point,"  said  Jacob. 

"  How  is  that?  "  asked  Mann  angrily.  "  Have  we 
not,  we  who  were  born  on  the  same  soil,  received 
from  nature  the  same  rights  as  these  men?  In  what 
are  nobles  our  superiors?  Have  we  not  gained  our 
rights  of  equality  by  humiliations  endured  during 
ages?" 

"  Nature,"  replied  Jacob,  "  has  created  us  all  equal. 
I  do  not  deny  that ;  but  on  the  side  of  rights  there 
are  duties.  If  we  do  not  share  all  the  burden  we 
shall  not  merit  all  the  rights." 

"  But  we  could  not  escape  the  expense,  that  I  know ; 
and,  with  their  usual  haughtiness,  the  nobles  do  not 
welcome  us  to  the  Agricultural  Society." 

"Until  the  present  day,"  said  Jacob,  "we  have  not 
had  a  single  title  to  aspire  to  it.  Yet  I  admit  that 
the  nobles  are  wrong  to  be  so  exclusive." 

"  Certainly.  It  is  wrong  for  them  to  act  thus ; 
and,  tell  me,  what  is  the  object  of  the  societies  the 
nobles  are  organizing?  It  is  to  deprive  us  of  our 
commerce." 

"  Perhaps  that  would  be  rendering  'us  a  great  ser- 
vice, for  with  this  single  occupation  we  are  losing 
prestige.  It  would,  perhaps,  be  for  the  best  if  we 
were  obliged  to  seek  our  means  of  existence  elsewhere. 
Why  should  we  always  remain  traders?  Besides, 
thanks   to  our   experience  and  ability,  we  have  not 


THE    EVE    OF   AN  INSURRECTION.        20 1 

much  to  fear  from  their  competition,  for  they  know 
nothing  about  business." 

"  But  they  will  monopolize  commerce.  Their  so- 
cieties are  directed  against  us.  Their  Agricultural 
Society  is  a  conspiracy,  a  plot  against  the  Jews. 
Everywhere  we  meet  evidences  of  their  hatred." 

"  And  I  do  not  think  that  on  our  side  there  is  very 
much  good-will  either." 

"And  why  should  we  like  them?"  interrupted 
Henri.  "Though  they  are  very  polite,  and  some- 
times even  familiar,  they  exclude  us  from  their  inti- 
macy and  never  accord  us  their  friendship." 

"  We  do  the  same." 

"  But  with  us  it  is  different,"  replied  Mann.  "  We. 
have  an  excuse,  for  they  have  never  ceased  to  render 
themselves  odious." 

"Then,"  concluded  Simon,  "we  have  a  right  to 
detest  them,  and  their  duty  is  to  return  love  for  hatred. 
Eh  !  If  we  slap  them  on  one  cheek,  they  must  offer 
us  the  other  !  Besides,  the  Christian  religion  teaches 
that,  does  it  not?  " 

Simon  looked  as  serious  as  an  owl  as  he  spoke  thus, 
but  Mann  continued,  without  smiling  :  — 

s"  These  nobles  are  fools  !  Their  confidence  is  ex- 
travagant. They  believe  in  the  promises  of  Napoleon 
III. ;  they  count  on  England,  on  Italy,  on  Hungary 
and  Sweden,  and  even  on  Turkey.  They  await  a  revo- 
lution in  Germany, — a  revolution  of  potatoes,  no  doubt ! 
They  also  hope  much  from  troubles  that  are  to  arise 
in  the  interior  of  Russia,     And  from  all  this  will  infal- 


202  THE    JEW. 

libly  come  out  the  resurrection  of  Poland  !  What 
blindness  ! " 

"  In  the  meanwhile,"  observed  Mathilde's  father, 
"  we  are  in  a  very  disagreeable  position.  It  is  equally 
foolish  for  us  to  be  on  either  side.  Russia  will  pre- 
vail, that  is  certain ;  but  during  the  combat  the  Poles 
can  crush  us  and  do  us  much  evil,  perhaps  send  us 
out  of  the  country. 

"  You  are  mistaken,"  cried  Henri. 

"Yes,"  agreed  Simon.  "  One  has  only  to  sit  on 
two  chairs  to  be  sure  that  if  one  fails  he  can  sit  on  the 
other." 

"  Naturally." 

"One  thing  is  clear  to  me,"  said  Jacob.  "  It  is, 
that  we  ought  to  side  with  Poland  and  share  her  fate, 
however  disastrous  the  consequences  may  be.  Self- 
sacrifice  should  be  our  watchword,  and  no  matter 
what  happens,  our  efforts  will  not  have  been  in 
vain." 

"In  this,"  said  Mann,  "Jacob  is  not  altogether 
wrong.  In  the  proud  days  of  the  Polish  republic 
many  noble  families  were  so  divided  that  part  of  their 
members  were  for  the  king,  and  others  against  him. 
These  took  part  in  the  insurrection ;  those  sustained 
the  government.  They  had  a  foot  in  each  camp,  and, 
whatever  the  result,  the  one  saved  the  other.  It  is  a 
good  example  to  follow.  It  is  necessary  to  keep  the 
middle  path :  these  are  the  ideas  that  should  be  scat- 
tered among  our  people." 

"  No,  no  !  "    cried  Jacob.    "  Not  the  middle  path  ! 


THE    EVE    OF  AN   INSURRECTION. 


203 


We  must  share  the  fate  of  Poland,  without  reserva- 
tion." 

Mann  struck  him  on  the  shoulder  and  said  :  — 

"You  are  very  young." 

"  Yes,  yes,  he  is  young,"  repeated  Simon,  "  and  he 
ought  to  listen  to  the  advice  of  those  who  have  had 
some  experience.  It  is  for  old  fellows  to  tell  young 
ones  what  to  do." 

Just  then  a  lackey  in  livery  and  white  gloves  an- 
nounced at  the  door  that  dinner  was  served.  Ma- 
thilde,  who  had  absented  herself,  appeared  and  took 
her  father's  arm,  and  Mann  eagerly  rose  and  hastened 
toward  them. 

It  would  be  useless  to  dwell  on  the  elegance  of  the 
table  and  the  gastronomic  perfection  of  the  repast. 

Henri  ordinarily  contented  himself,  in  spite  of  his 
wealth,  with  a  bit  of  bread  and  a  glass  of  brandy. 
But  when  his  vanity  was  affected  nothing  was  too 
costly.  He  was  full  of  apologies,  pretending  that  this 
was  an  impromptu  repast,  and  that  he  was  afraid  they 
would  not  find  enough  to  eat.  It  was  really  a  dinner 
for  diplomats,  and  the  menu  was  on  rose- colored 
paper  bordered  with  silver. 

Mann  affected  a  nonchalant  air,  so  that  his  lack  of 
education  might  not  be  noticed.  He  tied  a  napkin 
around  his  neck  and  ate  in  silence.  The  conversa- 
tion turned  on  the  gossip  of  the  day. 

Suddenly  Mann  addressed  himself  to  Jacob  in 
Polish,  and  said  :  — 

"  Although  you  are  an  orthodox  Jew,  you  have  in- 


204  THE    JEW. 

fringed  one  of  the  most  important  laws  of  your  re- 
ligion." 

"Oh,  let  us  drop  Judaism,"  said  the  master  of  the 
house,  in  French.  "Avoid  this  subject  before  the 
servants." 

"  But  what  sin  have  I  committed?  "    asked  Jacob. 

"  A  sin  so  great  that  you  do  not  deserve  to  be 
called  a  man  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 

"  What  is  it,  then?" 

"  How  old  are  you?  "  said  Mann. 

"Twenty  and  over." 

"  Very  well.  Since  the  age  of  eighteen  years  you 
have  been  in  sin,  for  you  have  not  married,  and  that 
is  the  first  duty  of  every  Israelite.  If  you  do  not  has- 
ten to  do  so,  Dumah  will  catch  you  one  of  these  days, 
and  throw  you  into  the  depths  of  hell !  " 

"  I  do  not  deny  that  youthful  marriage  is  a  duty," 
replied  Jacob,  "  but  I  believe  that  our  law  tolerates 
some  exceptions.  As  for  myself,  I  have  not  the  least 
wish  to  marry." 

"  How  thoughtful  Mann  is  !  "  cried  Simon  ;  "  he 
wishes  to  put  a  halter  around  your  neck,  because 
misery  loves  company." 

Jacob  replied  simply  :  — 

"  I  cannot  marry  without  love." 

As  he  said  these  words  he  threw  an  involuntary 
glance  toward  Mathilde,  who  grew  pale  and  looked 
down. 

"  What  a  rogue  !  "  continued  Simon,  with  a  forced 
gravity.     "  To  wish  to  put  the  sugar  of  love  on  the 


THE   EVE    OE  AN  INSURRECTION.       205 

bitter  dish  of  marriage,  is  to  seek  hypocrisy  where  one 
ought  to  expect  duty  and  care  only." 

"  Father  Simon,  we  are  so  accustomed  to  your  jests 
that  your  last  remark  can  pass  for  one.  It  contains, 
however,  many  truths.  Yet  I  venture  to  ask  you  if  it 
is  not  permitted  to  aspire  here  below  to  a  little  joy 
and  happiness?     And  true  love  can  procure  that." 

"  No ;  not  in  practical  life.  Romance  has  per- 
verted your  imagination." 

"  It  is,  then,  forbidden  to  hope  for  a  little  poetry  in 
this  prosaic  life?" 

"  Poetry !  The  Jew  ought  not  to  speak  of  it. 
Calculation  should  be  our  business.  Two  and  two 
make  five,  because  to  admit  that  two  and  two  make 
four  implies  a  loss  of  interest.  But  to  return  to  your 
marriage." 

"  Rather  let  us  drop  the  subject." 

"Very  well,"  said  Mann.  "  I  assure  you  I  will  bore 
you  about  it  until  you  decide.  Unfortunately  I  have 
no  more  unmarried  daughters.  But  I  can  recom- 
mend to  you  a  charming  young  woman  with  a  portion 
of  a  hundred  thousand  roubles." 

"A  hundred  thousand  roubles!"  cried  Simon. 
"You  had  better  take  her,  Jacob." 

"Thanks  for  your  interest  in  me,"  said  Jacob 
coldly,  when  Mathilde  spoke  in  her  turn. 

"  My  uncle  and  cousin  are  right,"  said  she,  fixing 
her  large,  black  eyes  on  him.    "You  ought  to  marry." 

"What!"  cried  he  sadly.  "You  also?  You  are 
in  the  plot?" 


2o6  THE    JEW. 

"Yes;  because  I  desire  to  see  you  tranquil  and 
happy." 

"  Singular  receipt,"  murmured  Simon. 

"  We  had  better  leave  the  subject  of  marriage  to  the 
managing  mammas.  After  all,  we  are  meddling  with 
something  that  does  not  concern  us,  and  some  day 
Jacob  will  be  claiming  damages  and  interest  for  hav- 
ing marriage  put  into  his  head,"  laughed  Henri. 

They  arose  from  the  table,  and  all  the  men  save 
Jacob  grouped  themselves  together. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  him?"  asked  his  former 
guardian  of  Mann. 

"  He  is  a  remarkable  man.  He  could  be  very  use- 
ful to  us  if  it  were  not  for  his  religious  whims.  They 
are  very  well  for  the  ignorant,  but  useless  for  en- 
lightened men." 

"Yes,"  replied  Simon;  "religion  for  you  is  cab- 
bage soup  for  the  poor.     You  prefer  turtle  soup." 

"This  mania  will  pass,"  added  Segel;  "the  princi- 
pal causes  are  his  youthful  enthusiasm,  his  poetic  and 
devout  spirit.  Let  us  persuade  him  to  engage  in 
some  useful  and  lucrative  business ;  it  is  the  best  way 
to  keep  him  from  proclaiming  himself  Jew  so  often." 

New  visitors  arrived ;  Mathilde  was  at  the  piano, 
and  Jacob  listened,  all  absorbed. 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND.  207 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE   PURSUIT    OF   A    HUSBAND. 

A  short  distance  from  the  mansion  of  Segel,  sep- 
arated only  by  their  gardens,  was  a  pretty  little  stone 
villa  covered  with  ivy  and  other  climbing  vines.  The 
low  windows  opened  on  a  veranda,  and  sculptured 
ornaments  of  wood  and  stone  gave  it  an  attractive 
appearance,  although  it  was  a  little  deteriorated  by 
the  dampness,  and  there  was  about  it  a  general  air  of 
neglect. 

The  proprietor  of  this  villa  was  a  man  who  could 
not  live  in  it  on  account  of  the  expense  he  had  in- 
curred in  building  it.  His  puerile  fancy  had  ruined 
him,  and  he  was  reduced  to  living  in  a  garret.  The 
plaything  was  let  during  the  summer,  and  during  the 
rest  of  the  year  it  remained  empty. 

This  dwelling  lacked  a  master  who  would  love  it 
and  care  for  it ;  such  was  the  air  of  neglect  it  had 
taken  on. 

For  several  months  it  had  been  occupied  by 
Madame  Wtorkowska  and  her  daughter.  This  lady 
was  the  widow  of  a  speculator  who  had  been  unfortu- 
nate in  business,  and  had  died  in  debt.  His  wife 
had  succeeded  in  concealing  from  the  creditors  some 
portions  of  the  estate.     She  lived  on  this  with  a  cer- 


208  THE    JEW. 

tain  elegance,  and  aspired  to  move  in  the  best  society. 
She  went  sometimes  to  Ems,  to  Spa,  or  to  Paris,  and 
hoped  everything  from  her  only  daughter,  whom  she 
considered  a  marvel. 

Mademoiselle  Emma  was  really  charming.  She 
was  twenty- two  years  old  and  owned  to  twenty,  but 
no  one  had  yet  offered  her  his  name  and  fortune. 
Although  the  mother  was  persuaded  that  a  king  or  a 
prince  of  the  blood  would  have  been  fortunate  to 
possess  such  a  treasure,  the  simple  gentlemen  found 
that  this  pearl  was  exacting,  and  had  luxurious  tastes 
a  little  too  costly  for  men  of  moderate  fortunes. 

That  was  why,  in  her  despair,  Madame  Wtorkowska, 
nee  Weinberg,  went  back  to  her  Israelite  friends, 
among  whom  she  hoped  to  find  a  rich  merchant  who 
would  marry  her  daughter. 

Emma  was  very  beautiful,  of  that  ideal  type  taken 
by  the  painters  for  Rachel  or  Rebecca.  She  was  a 
dark-eyed  blonde,  with  a  snowy  complexion,  features 
which  were  like  sculptured  marble^  large,  black  eyes 
full  of  a  mysterious  fascination,  and  rosy  lips  whose 
charming  smiles  displayed  teeth  of  pearl.  Nature 
had  made  her  an  actress,  and  her  mother  had  devel- 
oped in  her  the  art  of  simulating  all  emotions  and 
playing  all  r61es. 

This  mother  knew  excellently  how  to  appear  a  liter- 
ary woman,  without  having  read  much.  She  gave 
herself  out  as  an  accomplished  musician,  though  she 
hardly  knew  the  notes.  She  posed  as  a  lady  of  high 
degree,  although  she  had  seen  the  best  society  only  en 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND.  209 

neglige  at  the  baths  and  in  some  salons  of  doubtful 
distinction,  and  she  masked  her  poverty  under  a 
deceitful  elegance  and  an  appearance  of  wealth. 

Emma,  of  which  the  Polish  is  Emusia,  called  her- 
self, for  short,  Musia,  which  she  further  transformed 
into  the  French,  Muse,  which  gave  her  a  stamp  of 
originality,  and  expressed  by  a  name  her  diverse  tal- 
ents and  her  dazzling  accomplishments.  At  an  early 
age  she  learned  to  play  the  piano,  and  initiated  herself 
in  light  and  easy  literature.  Provided  that  the  book 
was  written  in  French,  in  an  elegant  style,  her  mother 
asked  no  more ;  as  for  the  morals  they  inculcated  she 
was  utterly  indifferent.  "This  is  not  suitable.  That 
can  harm  you.  You  must  guard  yourself  well  from 
this  or  from  that."  These  were  the  rules  of  conduct 
that  Madame  Wtorkowska  gave  to  her  daughter,  who 
soon  became  accomplished  in  all  her  refinements  :  the 
art  of  dissimulation,  habitual  and  unblushing  falsehood, 
elegant  and  perfumed  deceit.  She  had  a  great  natural 
talent  for  music.  At  six  years  she  passed  for  a  little 
prodigy,  at  twelve  she  played  in  public,  and  at  eigh- 
teen she  was  proclaimed  Chopin's  most  clever  inter- 
preter. She  had  so  enchanted  Liszt  at  Ems,  to 
believe  her  mother,  that  he  would  have  married  her 
then  and  there  had  it  not  been  for  the  double  obsta- 
cles of  the  princess  .  .  .  and  his  priesthood. 
Muse,  the  better  to  attract  attention,  had  adopted  a 
very  beautiful,  although  somewhat  eccentric,  toilet. 
Her  mother  lost  no  occasion  to  show  her  beautiful 
daughter  at  the  theatre,  at  charity  concerts,  at  the  in- 


2  TO  THE    JEW. 

dustrial  exhibitions,  and  at  the  art  galleries.  She  also 
added  the  publicity  of  the  press,  by  procuring,  from 
time  to  time,  a  flattering  mention  of  the  beauty  and 
talents  of  Muse  in  the  Courrier  de  Varsovie. 

In  spite  of  all,  she  had  no  luck  so  far ;  all  the  arti- 
fices of  coquetry  had  not  obtained  a  proposal  of  mar- 
riage worthy  of  being  taken  into  consideration.  Two 
aspirants  only  had  presented  themselves  in  a  legit- 
imate and  honourable  manner :  a  youth  of  eighteen 
years  all  fire  and  flame,  and  an  old  man  foolishly  in 
love.  As  neither  of  them  had  any  money  they  were 
quickly  refused. 

At  the  baths  of  Spa  or  Ems  a  count  also  had 
offered  himself,  but  this  noble  had  ruined  himself  by  a 
dissipated  life,  and,  as  he  could  not  return  to  Warsaw 
on  account  of  his  debts,  lived  "  by  his  wits." 

In  a  moment  of  discouragement  Muse  thought  of 
becoming  an  actress.  "  With  my  beautiful  voice  and 
charms  of  person,"  said  she,  "  success  is  certain,  and 
I  shall  soon  be  rolling  in  gold."  But  this  idea  was 
extremely  distasteful  to  her  mother,  whose  ambition 
was  for  a  solid  establishment,  and  not  for  the  precari- 
ous life  of  the  theatre.  She  wept,  and  implored  her 
daughter  not  to  think  of  it,  and  assured  her  that  their 
pecuniary  resources  were  sufficient  to  keep  them  in 
luxury  for  another  year.  Much  might  "be  accom- 
plished during  a  twelvemonth.  They  were  sure  to  se- 
cure a  rich  husband  by  that  time.  Why  not  wait  before 
leaving  the  social  sphere  to  which  they  were  accus- 
tomed ?     The  scenic  career  would  always  remain  open. 


THE   PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND.         21 1 

The  same  day  that  Jacob  dined  at  the  Segels 
Madame  Wtorkowska  returned  from  the  city  to  her 
villa  in  radiant  humour,  and  found  her  daughter  at 
the  window  reading  one  of  Feval's  novels.  She  con- 
templated her  a  moment  with  admiration. 

"  How  lovely  you  are  to-day,"  said  she ;  "  more 
beautiful  than  ever  !  That  is  right ;  your  beauty  is 
your  capital.  I  have  a  magnificent  project.  We 
must  succeed.     Conquer  or  die  is  our  motto  !  " 

"What  has  happened  now?"  asked  Muse,  throw- 
ing down  her  book  and  giving  a  side  glance  in  the 
mirror. 

"  I  have  just  learned  that  Jacob,  your  old  ac- 
quaintance, has  returned  to  Warsaw.  He  will  be  your 
husband.  I  have  a  presentiment  of  it.  A  natural 
presentiment  never  deceives.  You  know  the  pro- 
verb :  '  That  which  a  woman  wishes'  "  — 

"'The  devil  wishes,'"  replied  the  girl  laughing. 
"  You  are  in  great  spirits,  but  you  need  not  waste 
your  wit  on  me." 

"  I  have  already  said  that  twice  in  public  with  great 
success." 

The  mother  kissed  her  forehead,  and  said  in 
French :  — 

"  You  are  sublime  !  But  listen  to  me  :  you  must 
proceed  cautiously  with  this  Jacob ;  you  must  be  pru- 
dent, calculating,  dignified,  and  full  of  tact." 

"  Never  fear,"  replied  the  daughter,  "  I  remember 
him  perfectly.  I  know  his  peculiarities,  and  shall  not 
make  a  false  move." 


212  THE    JEW. 

"Be  careful  when  you  are  near  him  not  to  be 
too  gay,  too  witty,  too  brilliant.  Be  grave,  modest, 
and  poetical ;  quote  much  ideal  poetry  to  him  ;  such 
are  the  strategetic  manoeuvres  which  will  serve  you." 

"Do  you  know,  mamma,  I  have  been  told  that 
he  has  been  already  in  love?" 

"  And  with  whom?  " 

"With  Mathilde,  or  she  with  him;  it  is  the  same 
thing.  I  do  not  know  whether  this  love  still  exists  or 
has  vanished." 

"Several  years  have  passed  since  then.  She  has 
had  time  to  fade,  to  grow  ugly ;  and,  furthermore,  she 
is  married,  so  that  she  is  no  obstacle  for  us.  His 
love  for  her  proves  that  he  is  capable  of  passion.  So 
much  the  better.  Now-a-days,  men  have  become 
veritable  icebergs.  They  resist  an  enchantress  like 
you,  and  let  themselves  be  devoured  by  the  demi- 
monde "  — 

"Yes,  they  do  not  think  of  marriage.  It  is  the 
spirit  of  the  age." 

"  Jacob,  of  whom  I  have  heard  much  from  people 
who  know  him  well,  is  a  serious  young  man,  senti- 
mental, pious,  and  even  fanatic.  When  you  are  with 
him,  you  must  seem  to  bear  the  burden  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  two  thousand  years  ;  you  must  sigh,  and  pretend 
to  be  full  of  tender  and  elegiac  poetry." 

"Dear  mamma,  do  I  need  these  lessons?"  said 
Muse,  a  little  piqued. 

"  No,  my  child ;  but  a  mother's  heart  is  always  full 
of  fears.     A  better  match  would  be  difficult  to  find. 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND.  213 

Use  every  means  to  captivate  him  ;  meet  him  as  if  by 
chance,  and  invite  him  here.  He  loves  music.  We 
will  give  two  or  three  entertainments  where  we  will 
have  Kontski  and  Doprzynski,  and  you  and  those 
two  singers  will  make  an  adorable  trio.  Then  will 
come  the  supper,  when  you  will  be  irresistible  from 
the  charms  of  your  toilet." 

Muse  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"O  mamma,"  said  she,  "leave  it  all  to  me  !  I 
know  well  how  to  play  my  cards." 

"  Listen  once  more,"  said  Madame  Wtorkowska, 
drawing  near  her  daughter,  blushing  and  a  little  em- 
barrassed. "  We  will  play  our  part  well.  Jacob  is  a 
man  of  honour,  sensitive  and  conscientious.  With 
him,  but  with  him  alone,  dear  Emusia,  one  can  resort 
to  extreme  measures  to  force  him  into  the  last  in- 
trenchments  and  bind  him  to  us.  He  is  young, 
passionate.  It  would  be  very  easy  to  awaken  in  him 
—  you  understand  me  ?  I  would  not  advise  you  to  go 
so  far  with  another,  but  with  him  it  is  different." 

" Of  course  I  understand  you ;  why  not?  I  am  no 
longer  a  child,"  replied  Muse,  with  an  oifended  air. 
"  The  means  are  heroic,  but  might  succeed  with  a 
perfectly  honest  man  like  Jacob.  There  was  real 
genius  in  that  idea,  mamma." 

The  mother  blushed  at  this  praise,  for  the  idea  ap- 
peared brazen  even  to  herself,  coming  from  a  mother 
who  should  have  instructed  and  guided  her  daughter. 

"  Our  desperate  situation  only  has  made  me  sug- 
gest such  a  thing." 


2I4  THE     JEW- 

"Why  speak  of  despair?  Have  we  not  the 
theatre  as  a  last  resort?" 

"  To  see  you  an  actress ;  that  would  be  a  great 
sorrow  for  me." 

"And  Malibran,  and  Pasta,  and  Schroeder,  and 
Grisi,  and  Sontag,  and  many  others.  La  Sontag,  did 
she  not  become  a  countess  and  ambassadress?  " 

"  I  don't  care  for  that.  I  do  not  wish  to  see  you 
on  the  stage.     I  would  prefer  "  — 

"Do  not  fear,  mamma." 

"  I  have  already  apian,"  replied  Madame  Wtorkow- 
ska  calmly.  "Jacob  dines  at  the  Segels  to-day. 
You  are  a  friend  of  Mathilde's.  She  lives  near  here  ; 
dress  yourself  quickly  and  go  to  see  her.  You  can 
feign  ignorance  of  the  circumstances.  I  will  not 
accompany  you,  a  servant  alone  will  follow.  We 
must  take  advantage  of  each  favourable  moment.  To 
arrive  at  dessert  or  at  coffee  will  be  best.  After  a 
repast  men  are  in  good  humour ;  you  will  produce  a 
lively  impression  on  Jacob.  Modestly  dressed  and 
not  expecting  to  see  company,  you  must  blush,  draw 
back,  and  wish  to  retire.  They  will  beg  you  to  re- 
main.  You  will  remain.   What  follows  I  leave  to  you." 

Muse  rose  quickly,  like  a  soldier  whom  the  clarion 
calls  to  battle,  and  embraced  her  mother,  who  kissed 
her  and  said  :  — 

"  One  more  word  of  advice.  Do  not  put  on  any 
powder,  your  complexion  does  not  need  it,  and  he 
might  think  you  had  lost  your  freshness;  and  how 
will  you  dress?  " 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A,  HUSBAND.  215 


"  In  black  lace,  modestly,  poetically.  You  can  de- 
pend on  me." 

A  half-hour  after,  while  Muse  was  at  her  toilet, 
Madame  Wtorkowska's  eagle  eyes  at  the  window  saw 
carried  from  SegePs  kitchen  into  the  dining-room  a 
sumptuous  roast,  then  ices ;  she  ran  to  her  daughter 
and  cried  :  — 

"  Now  is  the  time.     Hasten,  I  beseech  you  !  " 

Muse  was  all  ready.  She  might  have  served  for  a 
painter's  model  to  represent  a  contemporaneous  elegy ; 
her  usually  mobile  features  were  changed  completely. 
By  a  profound  study  before  the  mirror  she  had  given 
them  an  expression  of  sweet  melancholy.  She  was 
enchanting;  with  an  infinite  art  she  concealed  art, 
and  seemed  natural,  and  no  one  would  have  imagined 
she  was  playing  a  false  role. 

Women  attract  and  conquer  men  sometimes  by 
gayety  of  spirit,  and  sometimes  by  a  mystical  re- 
serve ;  nothing  awakens  ardour  in  a  man  more 
than  an  enigma  to  solve.  "  When  he  has  arrived 
at  the  last  page  of  that  book  Called  woman,  it  is  nec- 
essary that  she  be  a  marvellous  masterpiece  for  him  to 
commence  the  reading  with  the  same  interest  as 
before. 

Muse  was  a  living  sphinx  with  such  an  attractive 
and  finished  beauty  that  it  would  have  been  difficult 
for  the  most  clever  observer  to  discover  the  least  de- 
fect in  her  person,  either  physically  or  morally. 

She  wore  a  black  lace  dress,  light  and  negligee  ; 
for  ornaments,  a   coral  bracelet  and  brooch ;  nothing 


2i6  THE    JEW. 

more  save  a  white  handkerchief  and  a  flower  in  her 
hand.  To  her  mother,  even,  she  appeared  in  a 
light  so  new  as  to  draw  from  her  enthusiastic  excla- 
mations :  — 

"  Oh,  my  Ophelia  !     You  are  charming  !  " 

Muse  smiled  proudly,  kissed  her  mother,  and  with 
a  calm  and  composed  mien  left  the  house  as  if  to 
keep  an  engagement,  and  not  to  engage  in  a  struggle 
where  her  object  was  to  capture  a  man's  heart.  Her 
heart  had  never  yet  spoken ;  it  surprised  her  that  men 
in  general  were  so  little  susceptible  to  passionate  love, 
and  that  she  herself  had  never  felt  this  emotion.  Her 
feelings  were  in  her  head,  and  if  at  times  her  brain 
had  been  inflamed,  this  flame  had  never  descended  to 
the  heart.  Love,  as  she  dreamed  of  it,  presented  it- 
self to  her  imagination  covered  with  silk  and  diamonds 
in  a  superb  salon,  amid  a  royal  court. 

Did  her  heart  beat  on  the  way  ?  Her  black  dress 
could  alone  tell  us,  but  her  face  did  not  reveal  a  single 
sign  of  inquietude.  The  chronological  reckoning  of 
Madame  Wtorkowska  had  been  so  exact,  that  Muse  ar- 
rived just  at  the  moment  when  they  were  taking  coffee, 
and,  as  the  piano  was  opposite  the  door,  Mathilde  saw 
her  enter  and  then  draw  back  as  if  to  go.  She  arose 
at  once  and  ran  to  her,  and  drew  her  into  the  room. 
Jacob  was  near  her,  but  she  passed  him  without  recog- 
nition. 

"  But  this  is  Monsieur  Jacob,  an  old  acquaintance 
of  yours,"  said  Mathilde. 

"Ah,  really!     He  has  returned    from    his  travels, 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND. 


217 


then.  How  he  has  changed  !  I  should  never  have 
recognized  him.     I  am  charmed  to  see  him  again." 

The  first  step  was  of  great  importance.  She  ap- 
peared at  first  to  be  altogether  indifferent ;  she  played 
her  first  lines  admirably.  As  for  Jacob,  he  felt  no 
emotion  whatever.  There  exist  in  some  men  certain 
instincts  which  warn  them,  if  they  are  not  under  the 
empire  of  a  brutal  passion,  to  avoid  danger.  Beauti- 
ful as  she  was,  Muse  did  net  attract  him.  Her  beauty 
was  for  him  like  that  of  a  statue  or  a  lovely  picture, 
no  more. 

She  had  more  success  with  the  group  of  men  who 
were  drinking  coffee.  They  all  praised  her  beauty. 
Henri  alone  dared  not  openly  express  his  admiration, 
for  fear  of  being  heard  by  his  wife. 

"  Delicious  girl !  "  said  Mann.  "A  dainty  enough 
morsel  for  a  king  1  " 

"A  morsel  for  a  king  !  "  added  Simon  ;  "but  one 
must  have  golden  teeth  to  chew  it." 

Mathilde's  father,  a  great  admirer  of  women,  re- 
marked in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  My  word  for  it,  she  is  well  worth  a  thousand 
ducats  ! " 

"Oh,  much  more  !  "  cried  Mann. 

"Wait,  gentlemen,"  added  Simon;  "put  off  the 
sale  until  after  the  marriage." 

"  How  clever  those  women  are,"  said  Mann. 
"  Madame  Wtorkowska  is  not  worth  a  sou,  and  look 
how  they  dress,  how  they  live." 

"  I    suspect  the  object   of  this   visit,"   whispered 


218  THE   7EW- 

Simon.  "  It  is  a  chase  organized  against  Jacob.  I 
pity  him  if  he  falls  into  their  hands." 

While  they  were  talking,  Muse  drew  near  the  piano 
and  looked  at  the  music  before  Mathilde.  It  was  a 
composition  of  Schumann's,  and  as  Jacob  was  near 
her  she  asked  him  :  — 

"  Do  you  remember  our  promenades  with  Mathilde  ? 
Are  you  as  serious  as  ever?  " 

"  Always  the  same,  mademoiselle,  with  the  differ- 
ence, perhaps,  that  age  has  augmented  my  failing." 

During  this  conversation  Mathilde  felt  her  heart 
beat  violently.  Father  Simon  made  from  afar  some 
warning  gestures,  and  finished  by  approaching  the 
piano.  Muse  greeted  him  coldly  as  an  enemy,  but 
just  then  some  one  asked  her  to  play  something. 

"With  pleasure,"  said  she ;  "I  love  music,  and  I 
never  refuse  to  play.  Above  all,  I  love  Schumann 
the  best." 

She  executed  one  of  those  fantastic  reveries  where 
grief  gushes  out  in  poignant  notes  like  drops  of 
blood. 

She  played  admirably  and  with  much  expression. 
An  actress  even  in  music,  she  expressed  ravishingly 
the  sentiments  which  she  could  not  feel. 

She  was  warmly  applauded.  Mathilde,  who  was 
herself  an  excellent  musician,  found"  new  food  for 
thought  in  this  manner  of  interpreting  a  composition 
that  she  loved.  Jacob  praised,  but  coldly.  Father 
Simon  took  him  by  the  arm  and  drew  him  aside. 

"  Do  you  know  Muse  ?  "  asked  he. 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND. 


319 


"  Yes,  I  used  to  see  her  often." 

"  Do  you  know  the  mother?  " 

"Very  little." 

"Then  learn  that  they  are  two  very  dangerous 
women.  The  daughter,  reared  in  luxury,  without  be- 
ing worth  a  sou,  seeks  a  rich  husband.  Take  care  of 
yourself.  They  will  catch  you,  if  possible.  They  are 
setting  their  cap  for  you  already." 

"  Why,  I  have  only  just  arrived  !  " 

"  The  mothers  of  these  days  have  such  a  scent  that 
they  smell  from  afar  the  marriageable  young  men. 
Take  care  of  yourself.  This  Muse  is  enchantingly 
beautiful  and  versed  in  all  deceit." 

"  Very  beautiful  women  do  not  please  me." 

"  She  can  make  herself  anything  you  wish,  for  she 
can  divine  your  thoughts." 

Seated  by  the  mistress  of  the  house,  Muse  turned 
her  head.  She  immediately  understood  that  Simon 
was  acting  the  part  of  Mentor  to  the  young  Telema- 
chus,  and  called  to  him  familiarly :  — 

"  I  have  a  favour  to  ask  of  you,  Monsieur  Simon, 
and  I  feel  that  I  am  very  fortunate  to  meet  you 
here." 

"A  favour!     Of  me?" 

"  Yes,  monsieur,  on  the  part  of  my  mother.  She 
dotes  on  your  witty  repartees  and  wishes  to  see  you 
sometimes  in  her  salon,  if  you  will  so  honour  us." 

She  had  counted  on  gaining  Father  Simon  over  by 
her  seductive  flattery,  but  the  old  rogue  only  bowed 
courteously,  smiled  maliciously,  and  withdrew  hastily 


220  THE    JEW. 

to  the  other  side  of  the  room.     He  went  up  to  Jacob 
and  whispered :  — 

"She  has  been  trying  to  burn  me  with  incense 
right  under  my  very  nose.  What  a  siren  !  To  avoid 
her  snares,  stuff  your  ears  with  cotton,  shut  your  eyes, 
and  save  yourself." 

"  For  me,"  said  Jacob,  "  there  are  neither  sirens 
nor  witches." 

"There  have  been,  however,  many  more  than 
those  in  the    Odyssey." 

Muse  knew  better  than  to  show  too  much  interest 
in  the  man  she  was  seeking  to  ensnare.  She  had 
Mathilde  ask  him  to  tell  them  something  of  his 
travels.  Thanks  to  this  diplomatic  stratagem,  Jacob 
joined  them,  and  engaged  in  a  lively  conversation. 

She  saw  that  he  was  absorbed  in  Mathilde,  and  felt 
that  he  did  not  listen  to  her.  Finding  further  efforts 
useless  she  arose  to  take  leave.  With  a  cold  and  po- 
lite tone  she  said  to  the  young  man  only,  that  she 
would  be  happy  to  see  him  at  her  home,  as  if  it  was 
out  of  compliment  to  her  friend. 

"  Man  of  ice,"  thought  she,  "  in  vain  you  seek  to 
escape  me.  I  shall  subdue  you.  You  will  belong  to 
me.     Then  we  will  square  our  account." 

She  left  the  room  modestly,  almost  timidly,  Ma- 
dame Segel  conducting  her  to  the  door"  WThen  she 
returned  she  said  to  Jacob  : — 

"  Well,  how  did  you  like  her?  " 

"  She  is  wonderfully  beautiful,  but  there  is  also 
something  disagreeable  about  her." 


THE    PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND.  22I 

Some  of  them  protested. 

"She  is  the  least  natural  woman  I  have  ever  met," 
said  Jacob.     "  My  ideal  is  a  true  and  sincere  woman." 

Mathilde  fell  into  a  revery.  During  this  time  Henri 
had  escorted  Muse  to  the  street.  It  was  easily  seen 
by  his  sparkling  eyes  that  this  pearl  pleased  him.  On 
her  part  Mademoiselle  Muse  found  Segel  to  her  taste 
also,  but  she  could  not  compromise  herself  with  a  mar- 
ried man  while  she  sought  a  husband.  Otherwise 
these  two  souls  were  sympathetic,  and  seemed  created 
for  each  other.  Henri's  last  glance  was  so  ardent, 
that  it  almost  compensated  Muse  for  Jacob's  coldness. 

Her  mother  impatiently  awaited  the  result  of  this 
first  attack. 

"  You  have  seen  him?  "  asked  she. 

"Yes." 

"Well?" 

"  Preludes,  as  you  have  often  said  yourself,  dear 
mamma,  are  always  tiresome.  I  played  for  him  one 
of  Schumann's  fantasies  as  I  never  played  it  before  ;  I 
felt  inspired ;  I  showed  myself  at  the  same  time  be- 
witching and  indifferent.  I  threw  him  furtive  glances, 
neither  too  ardent  nor  too  cold.  By  slow  and  insid- 
ious steps,  by  proceeding  with  much  caution  I  can 
put  him  off  his  guard  and  take  him  captive.  I  am 
sure  of  him,  I  think." 

"  Then  you  do  not  think  it  will  be  an  easy  mat- 
ter?" 

"  No,  probably  not.  He  has  something  else  on 
his  mind."  • 


222  THE    JEW. 

"  And  can  you  not  by  your  magic  art  draw  from 
him  that  which  is  rooted  in  his  heart?  " 

"  I  will  try,  but  it  is  a  difficult  part  to  play." 

"  I  am  chagrined  to  see  you  doubtful  of  success  so 
soon." 

"  Oh,  if  I  absolutely  will  it,  I  can  succeed  !  But  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  compromise  myself.  Not  in  the 
way  you  suggested  this  morning,  however.  It  will 
suffice  to  expose  myself  in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  For 
the  rest,  that  which  Count  Alfred  said  of  the  chase 
applies  perfectly  to  my  situation.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  make  any  plans  in  advance  to  draw  on  the  game. 
The  plan  will  develop  when  the  time  comes.  But  I 
have  some  news  for  you.  Henri  is  desperately  in 
love  with  me." 

"What  Henri?" 

"Our  neighbour,  Segel." 

"What,  has  he  dared?" 

"  If  you  could  have  seen  him  squeeze  my  hand  ;  if 
you  could  have  heard  him  sigh  when  he  escorted  me 
to  the  street !     Oh,  it  was  droll !  " 

"  Unfortunately,  he  is  married." 

"  Yes,  but  Mathilde  has  a  bad  cough.  They  say  that 
her  lungs  are  affected.  She  is  not  yet  twenty-five 
years  old ;  at  that  age  phthisis  is  fatal.  But  may  God 
preserve  her  !  " 

"  You  are  truly  a  genius  !  Your  foresight  is  admi- 
rable. If  we  could  keep  him  in  reserve  it  would  not 
be  bad;  however,  I  prefer  Jacob.  Men  of  Henri's 
calibre  never  become  seriously  in  love.     Their  senti- 


THE   PURSUIT    OF  A    HUSBAND.         223 

ment  is   not   love,  it   is   passion.     Every   year   they 

change  their  mistress.     It  is  the  theatre  that  furnishes 

them." 

"Bah  !     That  is  the  custom  now-a-days  !  " 

"  Believe  me,  you  had  better  hold  Jacob.     There  is 

something  horrible  about  counting  on  a  death." 

"  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  satisfy  you.     I  am  very  sorry 

for   poor  Mathilde,    yet   one   can  see   death  in   her 

eyes." 

"  Do  not  think  of  her,  then  ;  think  rather  of  Jacob." 
"  We  will  see.    As  for  me,  I  like  Henri  better." 
The  mother  frowned  and  said  no  more. 


224  THE     JEW' 


CHAPTER    XI. 

A    POLITICAL    MEETING. 

The  same  evening  Jacob  set  out  to  seek  a  friend  of 
Ivas,  who  had  been  his  comrade  at  the  university,  and 
had  become  a  very  important  person  in  the  present 
agitation.  This  man,  a  modest  employe"  of  the  gov- 
ernment, exercised  a  powerful  influence  on  the  young 
men  and  in  circles  where  politics  were  the  order  of 
the  day.  He  possessed  superior  intelligence,  rare 
executive  ability,  great  energy  and  activity,  and  his 
character  was  at  the  same  time  pliant  and  firm.  With- 
out being  leader  of  any  party,  he  went  from  one  to 
another,  and  the  timid  as  well  as  the  bold  bowed 
everywhere  to  his  incontestable  authority.  Yet  no 
one  could  have  said  that  Kruder  —  that  was  his  name 
—  belonged  to  the  fire-eaters,  to  the  liberals,  or  to  the 
conservatives,  nor  if  he  was  red,  blue,  or  white. 

With  the  excited  he  was  all  fire  and  flame ;  with 
the  cool  reasoners  he  was  calm  and  logical ;  with  the 
prudent  and  timorous  he  was  full  of  discretion  and 
consideration. 

All  listened  to  his  objections ;  all  followed  his  coun- 
sels. He  knew  how  to  smooth  all  difficulties,  conceal 
divergences,  and  to  lead  to  the  same  end  contradictory 
views. 


A    POLITICAL    MEETING. 


225 


Amid  such  diversity  of  opinions  he  alone  could 
maintain  order,  and  command  sufficient  confidence  to 
subject  all  differences  of  opinion  to  discipline,  in  ad- 
vance of  the  coming  revolution )  for  to  do  this  was  his 
ambition,  his  only  ambition. 

He  had  friends  in  both  camps ;  these  precipitated 
the  movement,  those  retarded  it.  His  intimate  rela- 
tions with  both  parties  put  him  in  the  way  of  hearing 
the  opinions  and  knowing  the  situation  thoroughly. 
Nothing  could  happen  without  his  cognizance.  In  his 
work  of  centralization  it  was  important  to  be  well  in- 
formed, so  as  to  prevent  errors,  or  to  correct  them  as 
well  as  he  could. 

To  attract  less  notice  and  to  more  easily  escape 
suspicion,  Kruder  inhabited  an  unfrequented  neigh- 
bourhood. He  usually  remained  at  home  until  ten  in 
the  morning,  the  hour  at  which  he  went  to  his  office. 
When  he  had  finished  his  government  work,  he  com- 
menced his  active  and  errant  life,  and  this  was  pro- 
longed late  into  the  night.  If  he  had  to  meet  any 
one,  he  made  an  appointment,  sometimes  at  a  cafe, 
sometimes  in  a  friend's  house.  To  meet  him,  Jacob 
went  to  the  dwelling  of  a  young  Jew,  Bartold  by 
name,  the  proprietor  of  a  manufactory  and  a  hard- 
ware merchant.  His  place  was  full  of  visitors  every 
day,  a  fact  which  could  be  easily  explained  by  the  im- 
portance of  his  business. 

Well  brought  up  and  honest,  he  was  not,  however,  a 
believer  like  Jacob.  In  religious  matters  he  was  sat- 
isfied to  select  the  morals  and  repudiate  the  dogmas, 


226  THE    JEW. 

but  yet  he  proclaimed  himself  a  Jew  with  a  certain 
boastfulness.  It  pleased  him  to  say :  "  If  the  Eu- 
ropean aristocracy  are  proud  of  tracing  their  origin 
back  to  the  Crusades,  I  ought  to  be  very  proud  of 
mine,  which  goes  back  much  farther.  I  am  a  descend- 
ant of  the  tribe  of  Levi.  That  takes  the  place  of 
arms  or  crests.  My  ancestors  guarded  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  in  Solomon's  temple ;  it  is,  at  least,  as  great 
an  honour  as  to  have  fought  with  the  Saracens." 

Public  agitation  naturally  increased  the  number  of 
visitors  at  Bartold's,  and  he  had  put  at  their  disposal 
two  large  rooms  of  his  house.  It  was  a  neutral 
ground  for  political  discussions.  It  was  a  place  of  re- 
union sheltered  from  the  police.  Bartold  took  a  great 
interest  in  these  meetings,  for,  in  spite  of  his  Israelitish 
genealogy,  he  was  a  Pole  at  heart.  He  was  thirty 
years  old,  tall,  muscular,  and  well  formed.  His  eyes 
shone  with  more  than  ordinary  intelligence.  His 
manner  disclosed  the  serenity  of  an  honest  man  who 
followed  the  right  path,  and  whose  conscience  was 
clear.  He  loved  to  laugh  and  to  joke,  but  under  all 
this  he  concealed  a  warm,  humane,  and  charitable 
heart.  He  received  Jacob  with  cries  of  joy  and  open 
arms. 

"You  could  not  have  come  to  us,"  cried  he,  "in  a 
more  opportune  moment.  You  come  to"  advise  with 
us,  do  you  not?" 

With  Bartold  and  Kruder  there  was  a  young  Pole 
belonging  to  the  most  advanced  party  of  patriotic 
enthusiasm. 


A    POLITICAL    MEETING.  22j 

Kruder  took  his  hat  to  go,  but  Jacob  detained  him. 

"  Pardon,  monsieur,"  said  he ;  "  will  you  wait  a 
moment?  I  have  come  to  seek  you  here,  I  have 
something  to  tell  you." 

"  If  it  is  not  a  personal  affair  you  can  speak  freely 
before  these  gentlemen.     We  are  all  friends  here." 

"  Do  you  know  Ivas?  "  asked  the  Jew  abruptly. 

"  I  know  him  well.  He  was  with  me  at  the  uni- 
versity at  Kief.  What  has  become  of  him?  Have 
you  met  him  anywhere?  " 

"  Yes,  in  Italy.  I  brought  him  with  me  to  the 
Polish  frontier." 

"  And  where  is  he  at  present?  " 

"  In  a  hiding-place  that  I  found  for  him,  but  he 
insists  on  coming  to  Warsaw.  I  fear  that  would  be 
dangerous  for  him.  They  are  seeking  him,  and  his 
description  is  known." 

"  I  do  not  agree  with  you.  He  had  few  acquain- 
tances, and  after  some  years  of  absence  he  must 
have  changed  enough  not  to  be  recognized.  We 
could  easily  find  an  asylum  for  him  here  where  he 
could  escape  the  police.  It  would  be  prudent,  how- 
ever, for  him  to  secure  a  communal  passport." 

"May  he  soon  join  us,"  said  the  young  man  of  the 
extreme  party.  "  He  will  be  very  useful  to  our 
cause.  We  will  undertake  to  conceal  him.  I  have 
often  heard  of  him ;  he  belongs  to  the  Lithuanian 
provinces.  Nothing  could  be  better.  We  will  send 
him  there  to  make  converts  to  our  cause.  What  can 
we  do  to  bring  him  here?  " 


228  THE    JEW. 

"And,"  asked  Kruder,  looking  at  Jacob,  "  what  are 
Ivas'  feelings  ?  You  see  that  here  we  are  all  fire,  all 
flame." 

"  I  fear  he  has  too  much  fire,"  said  Jacob.  "  Dele- 
terious fire,  alas  !  This  flame  is,  to  my  mind,  the  flame 
of  despair.     It  will  drive  men  to  unreasonable  acts." 

"Behold  a  cautious  man  !  "  cried  the  young  Pole, 
paling  with  wrath ;  "  the  sentiments  of  your  race  can 
be  expressed  in  two  words,  —  self-interest  and  logic. 
We  Poles,  on  the  contrary,  are  led  by  what  you  call 
folly.  Is  heroism  folly?  Then  it  will  be  by  folly 
that  we  shall  triumph." 

"  I  am  not,"  replied  Jacob,  "  an  exclusive  partisan 
of  cold  reason.  Logic  leads  one  astray  at  times.  In 
a  question  of  life  or  death  for  the  country's  salvation 
we  should  not  depend  entirely  on  cold  reasoning,  nor 
wholly  on  enthusiasm.  Reasoners  and  enthusiasts 
are  equally  at  fault,  are  both  on  the  wrong  path." 

"Would  you,  then,  have  a  mixture  of  folly  and 
reason?" 

"  Precisely.  And  I  wish  it  for  the  common  good. 
In  it  you  will  find  the  veritable  national  instinct." 

"  No,  no  !  Popular  opinion  aspires  to  a  revolution 
which  will  accomplish  our  deliverance." 

"The  revolutionary  agitation  is  only  at  the  surface," 
said  Jacob.  "  In  the  bottom  of  all  hearfs  there  are 
forebodings  of  the  evils  which  may  arise  from  a  pre- 
mature  explosion." 

"  If  such  are  your  opinions,  I  present  you  my 
compliments,  and  I  salute  you." 


A    POLITICAL    MEETING. 


229 


"Wilk,"  interrupted  Kruder,  "do  not  allow  your- 
self to  become  so  angry." 

"Why  does  he  irritate  me,  then?"  replied  the 
young  enthusiast,  a  little  appeased. 

"  However,  I  withdraw  my  brusque  adieu  and  will 
remain." 

"  Be  seated,  gentlemen,"  said  Bartold.  "  We  are  go- 
ing to  serve  tea,  and  you,  Kruder,  you  must  not  go  yet." 

"  I  am  expected  at  ten  meetings." 

"  You  can  shirk  five  of  them." 

"  I  cannot,  however,  miss  my  interview  with  Count 
A.  Z.,  nor  the  meeting  of  the  Agricultural  Society, 
nor  the  University  debate,  nor  the  Association  for 
Popular  Publications,  nor"  — 

"  You  are  verily  a  much-sought-for  man,  but,  if 
I  were  you,  I  would  throw  from  my  shoulders  a  good 
half  of  these  burdens;  childish  bluster,  rhetorical 
competitions,  a  war  of  words  of  patriotic  agitation, 
behold  to  what  you  are  invited  !  You  wish  to  direct 
everything  and  everybody ;  take  care  that  you  do  not 
become  a  blunted  tool  in  the  end." 

Kruder  shook  his  head  as  if  to  say,  "  It  will  never 
be."  But  at  heart  he  felt  that  in  his  friend's  warn- 
ing he  had  something  to  fear. 

After  a  general  conversation  he  left  the  room  with 
Wilk,  and  they  talked  over  the  measures  necessary 
to  secure  Ivas'  safety. 

Alone,  Jacob  and  Bartold  embraced  warmly,  for 
they  loved  each  other  like  brothers,  despite  the  ration- 
alism of  the  one  and  the  piety  of  the  other. 


230  "    THE    JEW. 

They  had  an  animated  discussion  on  the  situation 
of  the  Jews  in  Poland  and  throughout  the  world. 
Jacob,  as  was  his  custom,  spoke  at  length  on  the 
apostleship  he  intended  undertaking. 

"  You  will  lose  your  time  and  your  efforts,"  said 
Bartold ;  "  the  era  of  religious  convictions  is  passed. 
We  live  in  an  age  of  reason,  where  it  is  useless  to 
wish  to  resuscitate  the  beliefs  of  antiquity  and  of  the 
Middle  Ages.  The  structures  which  sheltered  the 
wings  of  the  cherubim  have  crumbled  away  and  can 
never  be  raised." 

Jacob  listened  attentively,  but  his  convictions  were 
not  shaken.  He  was  persuaded  of  the  necessity  of  a 
reform  in  Judaism  that  should  reestablish  the  authority 
of  the  Mosaic  law. 


A    SIRENS  231 


CHAPTER    XII. 

A   SIREN. 

After  some  weeks  of  sojourn  at  Warsaw  Jacob  met 
in  the  street  Luci  Colorri,  accompanied  by  Gromof, 
her  Russian  cavalier  of  the  grotto  at  Sestri.  He  was 
hastening  to  salute  them,  when  he  perceived  that  the 
lady  and  her  companion  turned  as  if  to  avoid  him. 
Why  this  mystery?  Jacob  was  puzzled,  and  paused 
on  his  way. 

Ivas'  affairs  were  soon  arranged ;  it  was  no  longer 
necessary  to  watch  over  him,  and,  freed  from  that 
anxiety,  he  dreamed  of  commencing  his  Judaic  re- 
form. He  realized  that  he  had  two  formidable  obsta- 
cles to  encounter,  —  on  one  side  indifference,  on  the 
other,  superstition.  The  superstitious  would  regard 
him  as  an  atheist,  the  indifferent,  as  a  bigoted 
fanatic. 

Discouraged  for  the  moment,  as  almost  all  reform- 
ers have  been,  he  sought  to  regain  his  former  enthu- 
siasm by  reading  the  Bible  and  the  Talmud.  To  this 
end  he  shut  himself  up  for  several  days,  and  came  out 
determined  to  make  converts,  not  among  the  old, 
whose  convictions  were  settled,  but  among  the  youth, 
who  were  still  animated  with  noble  instincts.  These  it 
was  whose  opinion  he  would  strive  to  form.     Weary 


232  THE    JEW. 

with  his  long  meditations  he  was  going  out  to  walk  in 
the  fresh  air,  when  he  was  handed  a  note  from 
Madame  Wtorkowska,  written  on  satin  paper,  the  con- 
tents of  which  were  as  follows  :  — 

We  shall  be  very  happy  to  see  M.  Jacob  at  our  house  this 
evening.     There  will  be  a  few  friends  and  a  little  music. 

Benigna  Wtorkowska. 

Jacob  was  not  in  the  humour  to  accept,  but  he  re- 
flected that  it  would  be  impolite  to  refuse,  and  that 
perhaps  he  might  meet  Mathilde  there,  so  he  accepted 
the  invitation. 

The  little  villa  occupied  by  the  Wtorkowskas  was 
a  masterpiece  of  that  modern  art  which  transforms 
real  misery  into  lying  luxury.  Nothing  had  been  paid 
for,  from  the  servants'  livery  to  the  satin  robe  worn 
by  the  hostess,  and  the  lace-covered  velvet  dress  of 
the  charming  daughter. 

The  refreshments,  the  bonbons,  the  flowers,  were 
all  obtained  on  credit.  Twice  a  week  Hermann  and 
Grossmann  demanded  the  money  for  the  Pleyel  grand 
piano,  but  in  vain.  The  shabbiness  of  the  furniture 
was  concealed  by  new  covers,  the  broken  places  in 
the  frames  of  the  pictures  and  mirrors  were  twined 
with  ivy. 

With  all  these  frauds  and  ruses  the  little  house,  seen 
by  the  light  of  innumerable  wax  candles,  took  on  an  air 
of  freshness  and  elegance.  The  studied  disorder  of 
objects  thrown  carelessly  on  the  table  was  the  result 
of  long  thought.     Here,  a  French  romance  was  dis- 


A    SIREN. 


233 


played,  to  show  acquaintance  with  current  literature ; 
there,  pieces  of  classical  music,  to  show  the  degree  of 
perfection  arrived  at  by  the  fair  performer.  On  one 
side  lay  a  photograph  album  containing  portraits  of 
celebrated  men,  implying  a  personal  acquaintance 
with  them. 

Jacob  arrived  a  little  late.  The  company  was  too 
numerous  for  the  salon,  and  the  room  was  crowded. 
The  guests  occupied  the  couches  and  chairs,  and 
some  remained  standing  against  the  wall.  There  was 
heat  and  noise,  and  to  move  about  demanded  much 
skill. 

Madame  Wtorkowska  received  Jacob  with  studied 
politeness.  Muse  advanced  toward  him  with  a  smile 
which  she  had  practised  before  the  glass.  She  led 
him  to  a  little  group  where  Mathilde  was  seated. 
Madame  Segel  wore  a  white  robe,  and  on  her  breast 
was  a  large  bunch  of  camellias  of  the  same  colour. 
She  was  pale ;  on  the  approach  of  Jacob  she  lifted 
her  head,  and  greeted  him  with  a  slight  blush  and  a 
melancholy  smile. 

After  that  the  poor  woman  relapsed  into  a  glacial 
torpor.  Henri  stood  behind  the  chair  of  Mademoiselle 
Muse,  whose  toilet  was  so  decollete  that  all  admirers 
of  certain  feminine  charms  could  feast  their  eyes  to 
their  hearts'  content.  Her  thick  and  glossy  braids 
were  twined  around  her  head  in  classic  style,  and 
served  admirably  to  bring  out  the  splendour  of  her 
eyes  and  complexion.  She  had  the  lively  and  brilliant 
expression  of  a  lioness  seeking  whom  she  might  devour. 


234  THE   JEW- 

Her  crimson  velvet  dress,  covered  with  costly  lace, 
bought  on  credit,  became  her  admirably,  and  gave  her 
a  queenly  air.  On  her  lovely  arm  sparkled  a  large 
bracelet  set  with  rubies. 

Mathilde  resembled  an  aerial  spirit  descended  in  a 
cloud  of  moonlit  rays;  Muse,  a  bacchante,  full  of 
sensuous  vitality. 

Henri  whispered  in  Jacob's  ear  :  — 

"  If  I  were  free  like  you,  I  would  not  hesitate  an 
instant ;  I  would  propose  to  this  siren." 

"  And  if  I  were  in  your  place,  and  had  such  a  wife 
as  you  have,  I  would  not  even  look  at  her,"  said 
Jacob  coldly. 

Segel  smiled  ironically,  pushed  back  his  black  hair 
from  his  forehead,  and  drew  near  Muse. 

"Can  you  guess,  mademoiselle,"  asked  he  in  a  low 
voice,  "what  advice  I  have  just  been  giving  Jacob?  " 

The  charmer  replied  sweetly  in  an  indifferent  tone, 
although  she  perfectly  understood  what  had  passed 
between  the  two  men. 

"  How  can  I  guess,  monsieur?  " 

"  I  advised  him  to  fall  in  love  with  you." 

"  What  bad  advice  !  " 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  can  never  love  any  one." 

"  No  one?  "  asked  Henri  tenderly. 

"  You  have  said  it.  I  consider  love  as  a  dangerous 
malady,  against  which  one  should  be  on  guard." 

"  A  malady  rarely  fatal,"  said  Henri  smiling. 

"  No  matter ;  I  am  afraid  of  it?" 


A    SIREN. 


235 


"A  bad  sign.  It  is  said  that  there  is  much  more 
danger  of  taking  typhus  or  cholera  when  one  fears  it. 
It  is  a  bad  omen  !     Jacob  "  — 

"  Why,  monsieur,  why  do  you  speak  to  me  of  this 
philosopher,  this  savant?"' 

"  Hardly  a  philosopher  :  a  mystic,  a  fanatic." 

"Who  flies  from  me,"  said  Muse.  "Help  me, 
then,  to  tame  him  a  little.  I  would  like  to  talk  with 
this  savage." 

"  What  would  I  not  do  for  you,  mademoiselle  ?  I 
will  bring  him  to  your  feet,  be  sure  of  that." 

"You  wish  to  marry  him,"  thought  Henri.  "  I  will 
assist  you,  but  I  will  claim  my  reward." 

The  treaty  was  concluded  without  further  discus- 
sion, without  protocol,  between  these  two  congenial 
spirits.  Segel,  wishing  to  hasten  the  execution,  went 
to  Jacob.     He  took  his  arm  and  said  :  — 

"  Come,  then,  to  the  divine  Muse,  who  wishes  to 
talk  with  you  about  Italy,  with  which  her  imagination 
is  full." 

"  I  fear  I  am  not  capable  of  doing  justice  to  the 
subject,"  said  Jacob. 

"  No  matter.  Come  and  try."  So  saying,  he  led 
him  towards  her,  almost  by  force. 

"  This  Jacob,"  said  he  to  Muse,  "  is  the  most 
conscientious  of  tourists ;  he  has  travelled  over  Italy 
on  foot  while  I  went  by  the  railway.  He  can  tell  you 
about  it  a  hundred  times  better  than  I.  He  can 
speak  to  you  of  that  land  of  art  of  which  you  have 
dreamed." 


236  THE    JEW. 

Muse,  all  smiles,  turned  to  Jacob  and  said  :  — 

H  At  last,  monsieur,  I  have  caught  you,  whether  you 
will  or  not ;  you  must  tell  me  of  that  Italy  where  I 
am  always  begging  mamma  to  take  me." 

"  I  regret  very  much  not  to  be  enough  master  of 
my  subject  to  give  you  a  just  idea  of  that  beautiful 
land.  It  is  not  sufficient  merely  to  have  visited  it,  one 
must  have  lived  there  to  fully  appreciate  its  beauties." 

"  Pardon  me,  but  I  do  not  agree  with  you.  Travel- 
lers often  know  more  of  a  country  than  its  inhabi- 
tants." 

"  Superficially,  yes ;  but  the  spirit,  the  soul  of  a 
country,  only  reveals  itself  after   long  study." 

"  Italy  is  delightful,  is  it  not  ?  " 

This  question  was  not  a  skilful  one.  But  it  was 
necessary  to  get  Jacob  started  on  some  subject, 
so  that  she  could  exercise  all  the  feminine  seduc- 
tions of  a  determined  woman,  resolved  to  succeed, 
and  employ  all  the  resources  of  her  consummate 
art,  aided  by  her  natural  charms.  What  an  actress 
she  was  !  An  actress  in  every  glance,  every  move- 
ment, even  in  the  inflexions  of  her  voice !  She 
spoke  feelingly  without  the  least  inner  emotion ;  she 
spoke  of  feelings  of  which  she  only  knew  from  hear- 
say. Judging  all  men  more  or  less  vain,  she  sought 
by  delicate  flattery  to  fascinate  and  subjugate  them. 
By  turns  lively  or  melancholy,  sensible  or  careless,  she 
was  charming  under  all  circumstances. 

However,  she  made  no  impression  on  Jacob,  who 
remained  cold  and  impassible.     As  if  to  alleviate  his 


A    SIREN. 


237 


enforced  captivity,  he  at  times  glanced  at  the  chaste 
and  pure  woman  who  was  seated  not  far  from  him 
absorbed  in  melancholy,  and  who  seemed  to  him  like 
an  ideal  queen  covered  with  a  saintly  aureola. 

Muse  was  exasperated  by  Jacob's  invulnerable  in- 
difference, but  desired  more  than  ever  to  bring  him 
to  her  feet.  She  let  her  evident  efforts  to  enslave 
him  be  seen.  Her  mother  surveyed  the  manoeuvres 
of  her  daughter,  which  she  found  too  bold,  although 
she  could  not  help  admiring  the  audacity  with  which 
the  attack  was  made. 

Jacob  was  obliged,  at  the  request  of  Muse,  to 
conduct  her  to  the  piano.  She  took  off  her  gloves 
slowly,  and,  coquettishly,  radiant,  continued  her  con- 
versation in  a  low  voice,  so  as  to  give  the  idea  that  a 
sort  of  intimacy  was  established  between  them. 

"My  dear,"  remarked  Madame  N.  to  Madame  X., 
"  Emusia  is  conducting  herself  in  a  scandalous 
manner/* 

"  Bah  !  Young  ladies  of  her  stamp  always  succeed 
in  their  matrimonial  pursuits." 

Just  then  the  mistress  of  the  house  came  to  them, 
and  Madame  X.  said  :  — 

"We  have  just  been  speaking  of  your  charming 
daughter.  She  is  really  enchanting  this  evening. 
Madame  N.  and  I  cannot  take  our  eyes  off  her.  She 
turns  the  head  of  every  one,  —  even  the  old." 

"My  Emusia,"  replied  Madame  Wtorkowska,  "is 
all  simplicity,  all  candour,  although  sometimes  her  very 
simplicity  and  frankness  look  like  coquetry." 


238  THE    JEW. 

At  this  reply  from  the  mother,  her  two  guests  ex- 
changed glances  behind  her  back. 

"  Why,  she  has  taken  Jacob  by  storm,"  cried  his 
former  guardian  to  Mann.  "  This  Muse  outdoes  her- 
self on  his  account.  She  did  not  trouble  herself  to 
amuse  him  before  he  got  his  fortune.  It  was  not  worth 
while  to  notice  the  poor  beggar  for  whose  education  I 
paid." 

"  The  Berlin  banker's  legacy  has  made  him  a  de- 
sirable match.  She  will  finish  by  capturing  him,"  said 
Mann. 

"  I  don't  believe  it,  for  I  know  my  Jacob.  He  is 
not  at  ease  in  her  society.  You  cannot  catch  all  fish 
with  the  same  hook.  My  son-in-law,  Henri,  would 
have  taken  the  bait  immediately.  Jacob  is  afraid  of 
her.  He  likes  quiet  women  who  are  modest  and 
timid.     He  is  a  poet." 

"  Certainly  the  creature  is  far  from  that,  and  I  con- 
gratulate the  man  who  "  — 

Mann  did  not  finish  his  remark,  for  suddenly  the 
music  ceased.  Jacob  was  free  from  the  chains  of 
courtesy.  He  seated  himself  near  Mathilde,  who  re- 
ceived him  with  a  smile. 

The  pale  moonlight  streamed  in  from  the  windows 
which  opened  on  the  veranda,  and  the  light  was  soft- 
ened by  the  leaves  of  the  wild  vines,  which,  with  their 
long  serpentine  clusters,  climbed  over  everything. 

They  both  wished  to  fly  from  this  crowd,  both 
wished  to  be  alone  ;  but  to  put  this  project  into  execu- 
tion was  not  easy. 


A    SIREN. 


239 


Again  Muse  played,  and  under  her  skilful  fingers 
the  notes  wept,  groaned,  sang,  murmured,  and  sighed. 
It  was  Liszt's  music.     Every  one  was  enchanted. 

" She  is  wonderful,"  said  Mathilde.  "As  for  my- 
self, when  I  have  been  a  half-hour  at  the  piano  I  am 
fatigued.  It  seems  to  me  that  my  tired  soul  flies 
away  with  the  sounds.  But  what  power  she  has  !  She 
laughs  at  difficulties,  and  rises  even  fresher  and  more 
radiant." 

"  It  is  there,  truly,  that  one  finds  the  difference  be- 
tween her  playing  and  yours.  You  put  your  soul  into 
it.  Her  playing  does  not  affect  me  at  all.  It  is  as  if 
the  piano  played  alone.  With  you,  the  soul  sings  to 
me." 

"  No,  she  is  a  true  artiste.     I  am  only  a  musician." 

"  I  cannot  admire  the  artists  of  the  present  day. 
They  are  but  the  masters  of  their  art,  skilled  work- 
men who  know  all  the  tricks  of  their  trade.  The 
shepherd  who  by  inspiration  plays  on  his  bagpipe  a 
simple  air,  be  it  very  simple,  very  primitive,  is  much 
more  an  artist  than  this  or  that  fashionable  performer. 
Like  everything  else,  art  has  been  profaned  in  these 
days  ;  it  has  become  mercenary ;  it  is  a  bread-winner, 
and  not  a  priesthood.  The  artist  of  to-day  strives  for 
the  fame  that  pays  best,  and  not  for  the  contentment 
of  his  soul.  Who,  then,  now-a-days  would  paint  fres- 
coes for  nothing  but  piety  and  for  the  love  of  God  ? 
Music,  literature,  painting,  all  at  present  go  to  the 
highest  bidder.  Muse  belongs  to  the  modern  school. 
She  has  art,  but  art  without  soul.     She  plays  Liszt  and 


240  THE    JEW. 

Walberg,  but  Chopin  is  inaccessible  to  her.  She 
seizes  the  bizarre  side  of  Schumann,  but  the  pathetic 
side,  never  !  " 

"  You  judge  her  a  little  too  severely.  There  is  in 
the  depths  of  her  heart  a  little  divine  light,  on  her 
brow  a  little  flame.  But,  alas  !  the  unfortunates  are 
not  sure  of  to-morrow's  bread,  and  I  cannot  help  re- 
garding with  pity  this  woman  and  her  daughter,  for  I 
know  their  situation." 

"  Are  they  not  rich  ?  " 

"  No !  They  are  poor,  very  poor,  though  they 
affect  riches." 

"  This  is  frightful.  This  comedy  of  luxury  is 
odious.  The  tears  of  dupes  will  pay  for  it.  Indi- 
gence with  courageous  labour  is  a  hundred  times  to 
be  admired." 

"  It  is  true,  but  false  pride  "  — 

"  That  word  tells  all ;  it  is  real  deceit." 

"She  pains  me,"  said  Mathilde.  "Under  the  vel- 
vet there  must  be  tears  and  anxiety;  at  the  door 
poverty  waits  while  they  serve  a  sumptuous  repast ; 
to-morrow,  solitude  after  the  brilliant  reunion  of 
to-day.  What  a  tragedy  !  It  pains  me  even  to  think 
of  it." 

Muse  ceased  to  play. 

Every  one  applauded,  and  Henri  hastened  to  kiss 
the  artiste's  hand.  Mathilde,  who  was  stifling  in  this 
atmosphere,  said  to  Jacob,  — 

"  Let  us  go  out  a  moment  and  get  some  fresh  air. 
No  one  will  miss  us.     I  cannot  breathe." 


A    SIREN. 


241 


They  passed  through  the  crowd  and  reached  the 
veranda.  Muse  followed  them  with  her  eyes,  and 
turned  ironically  upon  Henri. 

"  I  see,"  replied  he  to  the  mute  question,  "  that 
my  wife  was  too  warm.  She  has  gone  out  on  the 
veranda  with  Jacob." 

"  Then  you  are  not  jealous?  " 

"  Near  you,  mademoiselle,  I  think  of  you  alone." 

"  You  have  no  right  to  talk  thus." 

"  Do  you  not  know  that  that  which  is  illegal  is 
most  attractive  to  men?" 

"  You  are  perversity  in  person  !  " 

"  Alas  !  a  god  would  succumb  before  you,  how 
much  more  a  simple  mortal." 

"  Truly,  monsieur,  you  natter  me." 

"  No,  mademoiselle,  I  assure  you." 

Then  he  spoke  to  her  in  a  low  voice  with  much 
familiarity,  and  with  a  perfect  understanding. 

When  Mathilde  left  the  salon  she  gave  her  hand 
to  Jacob  at  the  threshold. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  my  child?  "  said  he  tenderly. 

"  I  feel  very  happy,"  said  she  ;  "  I  know  not  why, 
and  very  calm.  I  desire  nothing.  It  seems  as  if  my 
life  were  slipping  away  little  by  little.  You  are  by 
my  side ;  I  am  sure  of  your  affection.  What  further 
happiness  can  I  have?  " 

"  There  would  be  very  few  who  would  be  satisfied 
with  a  chaste  love  like  ours.  When  I  observe  in  the 
world  the  different  personalities,  different  characters, 
I  think,  mademoiselle  "  — 


242  THE     JEW. 

"Why  do  you  call  me  mademoiselle?" 

"  I  think,  I  say,  that  there  are  in  each  human 
being  two  powers  who  are  antagonistic,  like  God  and 
Satan.  The  contrasts  are  often  striking.  For  exam- 
ple, you  and  Muse." 

"  Do  not  judge  her  so  harshly ;  you  should  be  in- 
dulgent to  all." 

"  Very  well.  Who,  then,  are  pure  and  innocent  in 
the  depths  of  their  souls  around  us  ?  Life  is  short. 
Every  one  must  taste  the  bitter  cup.  Every  one  has 
his  troubles,  and  most  men,  instead  of  seeking  hap- 
piness in  their  own  souls,  seek  it  elsewhere  and  find  it 
not.  The  world  terrifies  me  with  its  variety  of  ele- 
ments where  evil  predominates  over  good.  I  cannot 
understand  this  predominance  of  evil." 

"  That  is  one  of  God's  secrets,  incomprehensible  to 
our  finite  intelligence.  What  good  will  it  do  us  to  try, 
like  the  Titans, by  force  to  pierce  the  closed  heavens? 
Man  seems  to  be  the  plaything  of  an  implacable 
irony.  He  bears  within  him  the  sparks  of  an  ardent 
fire,  but  he  does  not  succeed  in  developing  a  large 
flame,  for  the  wind  of  his  passions  scatters  the  fire- 
brands. In  his  heart  exist  noble  sentiments  which 
are  changed  into  gross  appetite.  Man  grows  more 
corrupt  instead  of  purer.  All  is  surprise  in  life  •  all 
an  enigma.  Then  this  dream  of  immortality  and  a 
future  existence.    Can  we  believe  it?  " 

She  smiled  sadly,  and  Jacob  listened.  Under  their 
eyes  lay  a  superb  view.  A  light  breeze  murmured 
through  the  dark  foliage  of  the  old  trees  in  the  ave- 


A    SIREN.  243 

nue.  In  the  sky,  the  moon  glided  through  the  deep 
azure,  and  the  stars  twinkled  as  if  to  shake  slumber 
from  their  eyelids.  In  the  distance  could  be  heard 
the  faint  sound  of  the  city. 

"In  contemplating  creation,"  said  Jacob,  "do  you 
not  hear  something  within  you  say  that  we  shall  live 
beyond  the  tomb?  That  thought  should  destroy  all 
fear  for  the  future.  Even  if  thousands  of  years  of 
faith  do  not  confirm  this  hope,  it  shines  in  the  reply 
of  the  soul  like  stars  in  the  depths  of  a  well." 

"  It  is  impossible,"  said  Mathilde.  "  In  any  case, 
the  other  life  will  not  be  like  this.  My  future  will 
not  be  a  continuation  of  this  miserable  existence. 
Perhaps  I  shall  come  again  to  live  on  earth.  Oh, 
who  knows  anything  about  it?  " 

"This  death,  so  terrible  to  most  of  us,  is  repre- 
sented in  our  Hebrew  books  as  a  sweet,  an  easy,  pas- 
sage to  another  existence.  The  Talmud,  Berakhot  5, 
calls  it  the  kiss  of  God." 

"  How  sorry  I  am  not  to  have  read  those  books, 
and  to  know  so  little  of  the  Hebrew  language  !  I  have 
been  educated  for  the  world.  My  soul  has  not  been 
nourished.     The  tempest  of  doubt  has  overthrown  it." 

"There  is  yet  time,  dear  Mathilde." 

"No,  it  is  too  late.  Faith  is  the  beverage  of 
youthful  souls.  When  unbelief  is  developed,  the 
ground  is  dried  up  and  a  new  graft  cannot  shoot 
forth.  But  God  is  full  of  mercy  and  pity.  He  will 
not  punish  us  when  we  are  not  in  fault.  "He  will 
make  allowances  for  our  education." 


244  TIIE   JEW- 

They  were  silent,  but  had  no  desire  to  return  to 
the  salon,  where  Muse,  at  the  piano,  was  playing  one 
of  Liszt's  most  brilliant  compositions. 

" Come,  Jacob,"  said  Mathilde,  "you  must  do  your 
duty.  Go  and  compliment  Muse.  I  will  not  be 
jealous.  She  is  on  the  wrong  path  ;  you  can  convert 
and  save  her." 

"  It  is  too  late ;  that  which  you  falsely  said  about 
yourself  applies  to  her.  Her  intelligence  and  her 
heart  have  matured,  and  her  character  is  already 
formed." 

They  entered  the  salon.  Mathilde's  first  glance 
showed  her  husband  leaning  on  the  back  of  Muse's 
chair,  and  his  tender  glances  told  that  he  was  very 
much  impressed.  She  did  not  feel  the  slightest  cha- 
grin. She  was  completely  indifferent  to  Henri,  and 
she  rejoiced  to  think  that  he  amused  himself  else- 
where, provided  he  spared  her  all  importunate  tender- 
ness. 

Madame  Wtorkowska  was  very  nervous ;  she  feared 
that  the  entertainment  would  not  lead  to  the  de- 
sired results.  Jacob  seemed  absolutely  indifferent 
to  her  daughter's  charms;  as  for  the  other  young 
men,  they  all  admired  her,  but  at  a  distance ;  and  the 
marked  attentions  of  Henri  Segel  displeased  her  be- 
cause they  came  from  a  married  man.  With  music, 
singing,  cards,  tea,  and  supper,  the  soiree  was  pro- 
longed to  a  late  hour.  The  elder  guests  took  leave  un- 
der pretext  of  engagements  in  the  morning.  Mathilde 
went  home,  as  she  had  a  headache,  and  left  the  field 


A    SIREN.  245 

free  to  her  husband.  Jacob  had  accompanied  her  to 
her  door,  and  had  received  his  orders  to  return.  This 
thinning  out  of  the  rooms  favoured  the  charmer's  plans. 

The  young  man  carelessly  turned  the  leaves  of  an 
album ;  his  conduct  during  the  evening  had  strictly 
conformed  to  the  rules  of  politeness.  Yet  this  cold 
observation  of  the  proprieties  exasperated  Madame 
Wtorkowska,  who  resolved  to  undertake  his  subjuga- 
tion herself.  She  drew  near  him,  and,  as  Jacob  rose 
to  give  her  his  seat  she  said,  taking  his  arm  :  — 

"  Monsieur,  let  us  walk  a  little,  and  tell  me  about 
yourself.  Now  that  you  have  returned  to  us,  what 
do  you  intend   to  do?" 

Surprised  by  these  attentions,  he  replied  :  — 

"  I  intend  to  study  and  lead  a  life  of  leisure.  " 

"  We  have  heard  so  much  in  your  praise,"  said  she, 
"  that  we  were  very  desirous  of  knowing  you." 

"  I  am  infinitely  obliged,  madame." 

"Especially,   Emusia.      She   admires   such   men." 

She  could  not  find  an  adjective  to  designate  exactly 
what  kind  of  men,  and  added  after  a  moment  of 
hesitation :  — 

"I  mean  superior  men.  For,  you  see,  my  Emu- 
sia is  a  young  girl  of  talent.  What  intelligence,  what 
gifts  !  She  devours  an  incredible  quantity  of  books. 
Her  memory  is  prodigious.  Her  wit  is  of  the  finest 
quality.  In  short,  if  she  were  not  my  daughter  I 
would  say  that  she  is  a  marvel." 

"That  is  what  I  hear  from  every  one,"  said  Jacob 
politely. 


246  THE    JEW. 

"My  situation,"  continued  she,  "is  an  anxious  one, 
for  I  have  a  mother's  heart.  To  whom  will  my 
cherished  one  give  herself?  Will  he  appreciate  her? 
Alas,  the  young  men  of  to-day  are  so  frivolous  !  " 

"Mademoiselle  Emusia  has  but  to  choose." 

"  How  little  you  know  the  young  men,  monsieur  !  " 

For  want  of  breath  the  mother  stopped.  She  had 
commenced  the  battle  with  so  much  impetuosity  that 
she  was  already  worn  out.  She  could  think  of  nothing 
more  to  say.  She  was  driven  to  her  last  intrench- 
ments,  and,  on  his  side,  Jacob  had  exhausted  all  his 
praises.  Notwithstanding,  after  a  moment  of  reflec- 
tion she  took  breath  and  continued  :  — 

"  You,  who  are  so  great  a  connoisseur,  what  do  you 
think  of  Emusia's  playing?  " 

"  It  is  truly  marvellous,  madame." 

"  Liszt,  the  master,  was  stupefied  with  astonishment 
when  my  daughter  played  for  him  his  overture  to 
Guillautne  Otello.  He  watched  her  execute  this,  that, 
all  the  most  difficult  parts,  and  was  wild  with  enthu- 
siasm. It  was  at  Spa.  There  was  such  clapping  of 
hands,  bravos  that  almost  shook  the  house,  an  ava- 
lanche of  bouquets  !    What  an  ovation,  mon  Dieu  !  " 

"  It  was  merited,  no  doubt." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  the  mother.  "  An  Erard  piano 
fairly  spoke  under  her  fingers.  She  has  such  strength 
and  incredible  power." 

She  was  thus  extolling  her  daughter  when  the  young 
lady  herself  came  to  join  in  the  conversation.  Her 
eyes  shone  wrathfully.     The  more  invulnerable  Jacob 


A    SIREN. 


HI 


showed  himself,  the  more  she  was  determined  to 
bring  him  to  her  feet.  Henri  had  given  her  the  key 
to  the  character  of  this  man,  whom  he  called  a 
religious  fanatic.  She  resolved  to  read  and  study  the 
Bible,  and  even  the  Talmud,  if  necessary.  Already 
she  commenced  to  play  her  new  role. 

"  I  detest  these  noisy  pleasures,"  said  she.  "  Read- 
ing, meditation,  quiet,  they  are  the  things  that  I 
love.     And  you?" 

"  I  also  love  study  and  tranquillity,"  said  Jacob. 

"  You  men,"  said  Muse,  "  have  everything  in  your 
favour.  You  can,  at  your  pleasure,  devote  yourselves 
to  intellectual  occupations ;  you  are  not  slaves  to  the 
obligations  of  society,  as  we  poor  women  are.  You 
cannot  imagine  what  a  humiliation  it  is  for  a  young 
girl  to  be  taken  continually  here  and  there,  and  shown 
like  merchandise." 

"  Mademoiselle,  although  what  you  say  is  partly 
true,  I  assure  you  that  the  mothers  and  daughters 
exaggerate  these  pretended  obligations.  Our  poet, 
Krasicki,  has  said  somewhere,  '  Nothing  ever  comes 
of  a  dialogue  prepared  with  too  much  care.'  " 

"  That  is  very  true,  monsieur.  Also  most  matches 
that  end  happily  are  made  without  thought,  and  as  it 
were  by  a  miracle." 

"  Yes,  I  am  convinced  of  that." 

"And  it  is  probably  by  a  miracle  also,"  added  the 
elder  woman,  "  that  marriages  are  maintained." 

"  Have  you  been  in  the  Orient?  "  asked  Emusia,  to 
change  the  conversation. 


248  THE    JEW. 

"  Yes,  mademoiselle,  and  I  bring  back  a  sad  im- 
pression. The  land  of  poetry  is  to-day  the  land  of 
misery.  The  cradle  of  civilization  has  become  the 
tomb." 

"  But  there  are  still  traces  there  of  biblical  times, 
are  there  not?  "  asked  Muse. 

"  Certainly.  The  costumes,  the  habits,  the  land- 
scape, all  remind  one  of  the  Bible.  As  in  old  days 
Rachel  still  leads  her  flocks  to  water,  and  the  white- 
bearded  patriarchs  still  welcome  you  to  their  tents." 

"All  that  must  be  very  interesting." 

"  Not  for  the  children  of  a  civilization,  enervated 
and  weakened.  We  can  no  longer  live  this  poetical 
life.  It  is  rigid,  painful,  grave,  primitive,  and  labori- 
ous. It  impresses  us,  notwithstanding  its  poetry,  with 
a  strange  emotion  toward  the  fountains  which  now  are 
dried  up." 

"And  the  old  biblical  traditions?" 

"  They  clash  on  all  sides.  With  us  the  old  traditions 
are  preserved,  like  withered  plants  in  an  herbarium ; 
while  there  they  still  live,  mixed  with  the  daily  exist- 
ence. With  what  emotion  one  contemplates  stones 
taken  from  the  aqueducts  of  Solomon,  the  ruins  of 
the  temple,  the  places  sanctified  by  the  patriarchs  ! 
Christians  and  Jews  both  find  there  the  cradle  of  their 
faith.     In  Europe  we  are  only  colonists."  " 

Emusia  had  taken  a  reclining  attitude  near  Jacob, 
and  listened  with  great  attention.  The  mother  profited 
by  the  occasion,  and  left  them  alone.  Thus  these  two, 
in  the  midst  of  a  crowd,  found  themselves  alone. 


A    SIREN. 


249 


Simple  politeness  forbade  Jacob's  retreat.  Muse 
attempted  to  magnetize  him  by  her  glances,  by  her 
gestures,  by  the  sight  of  her  gleaming  shoulders,  by 
her  beauty,  while  she  idly  played  with  her.  bracelet, 
her  rings,  and  her  embroidered  handkerchief,  useless 
for  any  other  purpose. 

The  young  man  scarcely  perceived  these  affected 
and  enticing  airs. 

"  I  know  not,"  said  she  with  hesitation,  "  if  it  be 
owing  to  the  blood  that  flows  in  my  veins,  but  this 
Orient  has  for  me  a  certain  attraction.  It  is  thither 
that  my  desires  tend.  It  has  been  torn  from  us,  and 
we  have  been  forced  to  forget  it.  It  is  a  source  of 
sadness  for  me  that  I  know  a  mass  of  useless  things, 
and  that  I  am  ignorant  of  that  which  most  interests 
me." 

"What,  for  example?"  asked  Jacob,  interested  in 
spite  of  himself. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  replied  she,  in  a  low  voice  with 
a  feigned  alarm,  "  provided  mamma  does  not  hear  me. 
I  am  curious  about  all  that  concerns  us  that  is  Jewish. 
A  Christian  nominally,  I  am  of  Jewish  blood,  and 
Jesus  has  declared  that  he  did  not  come  to  destroy 
the  ancient  law.  Mamma,  like  many  of  our  race, 
avoids  and  forbids  all  allusion  to  the  past." 

"  If  you  really  wish  it,  mademoiselle,  you  can  easily 
become  familiar  with  our  traditions ;  you  have  only  to 
consult  several  books." 

"  Alas  !  I  do  not  know  Hebrew." 

"There  are  translations  in  many  languages." 


250  THE    JEW. 

"  Really  ?  Could  you  not  secretly  lend  me  one  or 
two  ?  I  would  be  very  grateful  to  you ;  but  it  must 
remain  a  secret  between  us." 

This  was  a  skilful  move.  Mystery  brought  them 
together.  Emusia  quietly  put  her  little  hand  into 
Jacob's,  and  pressed  it  warmly  as  if  to  thank  him. 
This  grasp  produced  on  the  young  man  the  effect  of 
an  electric  current.  He  felt  uneasy,  troubled,  and 
confused,  as  if  he  had  committed  a  sin. 

"  I  will  send  you  some  volumes,"  murmured  he. 

"  That  is  not  all,"  said  she  sweetly,  still  keeping 
her  hand  in  his.  "  Guide  me  in  the  study  for  which 
I  thirst.  I  have  hours  of  liberty ;  mamma  goes  out 
often,  and  I  am  at  home  alone.  I  depend  on  you  to 
be  my  master,  my  instructor,  in  the  first  principles  of 
the  faith  of  our  ancestors.  This  may  appear  a  little 
odd  on  my  part,  but  you  will  excuse  my  ardent  desire 
for  light." 

"  I  fear"  — 

"  No  scruples,  monsieur  !  If  I  have  appeared  im- 
pressed by  you,  I  assure  you  it  was  only  because  I  wish 
to  learn  from  you  something  of  Judaism." 

A  slight  feeling  of  suspicion  entered  Jacob's  mind, 
but  he  thrust  it  away  from  him  with  contempt.  He 
would  not  admit  that  acting  could  be  carried  so  far. 
He  believed  that  Muse  was  sincere,  and  he  arose  to 
go  with  a  much  better  opinion  of  her  than  when  he 
came.  She  seemed  to  him  more  beautiful  than  before, 
and  with  something  poetical  about  her.  He  sought 
already  in  his  imagination    for  the   biblical   type   to 


A    SIREN. 


25I 


which  this 'strayed  lamb  of  the  fold  of  Israel  belonged. 
He  felt  no  sympathy  for  her  yet,  but  his  curiosity  was 
awakened  and  his  repugnance  had  disappeared. 

Emusia  was  radiant,  and  in  her  triumph  said  to 
herself:  — 

"  I  have  hit  Achilles  in  the  heel." 


252  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

AKIBA. 

Jacob,  admonished  by  Mann,  bantered  by  Henri, 
lectured  by  his  former  guardian,  and  opposed  by  Bar- 
told,  had,  nevertheless,  commenced  his  apostleship. 
He  essayed  to  group  around  him  the  youth  of  Israel, 
for  the  old  men  were  against  all  reform. 

The  most  polished  and  the  best  educated  did  not 
like  to  recall  their  origin,  nor  to  hear  of  the  religion 
of  their  fathers.  This  was  grievous.  The  disciples 
did  not  appear ;  all  minds  were  absorbed  in  the  revo- 
lutionary movement.  Jacob's  activity  became  more 
and  more  circumscribed.  His  co-religionists  avoided 
him  ;  but  in  spite  of  this  abandonment,  in  spite  of  his 
isolation,  he  still  clung  to  his  ideas.  He  hoped  to 
convince  by  his  example,  and  to  gain  followers  when 
calm  should  succeed  the  present  political  agitation 
and  society  regain  its  normal  condition. 

He  was  sadly  afflicted  to  see  the  irreligion  of  the 
youth  of  Israel,  irreligion  much  more  widespread  than 
he  had  at  first  supposed.  In  the  desert  around  him 
any  mark  of  sympathy  would  naturally  move  him, 
touch  him,  and  console  him,  and  Muse  profited  by 
these  circumstances. 

She  put  herself  in  possession  of  Jacob's  ideas,  pro- 


AKIBA.  253 

cured  the  books  recommended,  and  reading  the  ones 
he  lent  her,  learned  some  things,  guessed  more,  and 
thus  armed,  went  forth  to  combat  with  fair  chances  of 
victory.  Madame  Wtorkowska  had  adroitly  seized  the 
opportunity  of  drawing  nearer  him  whom  she  already 
called,  to  herself,  her  son-in-law.  She  took  possession 
of  the  first  story  of  a  house  of  which  the  Jew  occupied 
the  second.  As  there  was  nothing  easier  to  ascertain 
than  when  the  recluse  was  at  home,  they  sent  to  his 
rooms  under  pretext  of  returning  books  or  to  ask  the 
loan  of  new  ones.  Then  they  begged  him  to  come 
down  to  them.  They  also  met  him  often  on  the 
stairs. 

Emusia  became  a  fervent  and  intelligent  disciple, 
and  the  apostle  felt  more  and  more  flattered  by  this 
adhesion. 

"Would  you  believe  it,"  said  she  one  evening  to 
her  mother,  "the  fool  imagines  that  I  am  nearly 
ready  to  embrace  Judaism,  while  in  reality  his  Bible 
and  his  Talmud,  with  all  their  silly  old  legends  and 
their  stupid  stories,  weary  me  dreadfully." 

"  Do  you  believe  that  the  idea  of  marriage  has  en- 
tered his  head?" 

"  Bah  !     I  will  put  it  there  when  I  wish." 

"  In  that  case  you  had  better  do  it  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible." 

"  I  am  awaiting  a  favourable  opportunity.  With  this 
man  it  is  not  the  senses,  but  the  heart,  on  which  we 
must  count,  and  we  must  not  be  in  haste.  Be  tran- 
quil, I  lie  in  wait  for  the  moment." 


254  THE   7EW- 

"  How  do  you  watch  for  it  ?  Flirting  with  Henri  ? 
God  knows  that  if  you  were  only  safely  married 
to  Jacob  I  would  not  care  how  much  you  saw  of 
Henri ;  but  as  you  are  not,  I  think  these  badinages 
are  very  ill-timed  and  take  your  mind  off  the  principal 
business." 

"  I  know  what  I  am  doing,  mamma  ;  the  best  tac- 
tics with  Jacob  are  to  proceed  slowly.  If  we  try  to 
hasten  matters  we  may  lose  all." 

"Well,  work  it  your  own  way." 

This  phrase  always  terminated  the  altercations  be- 
tween Muse  and  her  mother. 

The  young  girl's  calculation  was  not  destitute  of 
judgment.  Jacob  did  not  love  her,  but  he  was  be- 
coming accustomed  to  her.  As  for  the  thought  of 
marriage,  it  had  never  entered  his  head.  His  heart 
was  filled  with  Mathilde,  this  fading  flower  that 
charmed  him  more  each  day.  One  thing  only 
drew  him  to  Emusia ;  it  was  the  fervour  that  she 
manifested  for  the  Bible  and  the  Hebrew  traditions, 
nothing  more. 

The  mother  did  not  altogether  approve  her  daugh- 
ter's plans,  and  shrugged  her  shoulders,  saying  :  — 

"If  he  escapes  we  are  lost." 

"  Oh,  no  !  It  is  not  my  Waterloo.  I  have  not  staked 
all  on  him.  I  have  still  the  stage,"  said  she  laughing ; 
and  she  continued  to  simulate  an  ardent  admiration 
for  the  Jew  and  his  doctrines,  while  at  the  bottom  she 
detested  them  all.  With  Henri,  on  the  contrary,  full 
of  familiarity  and  enjoyment,  she  was  in  her  element. 


AKIBA.  255 

The  better  to  insinuate  herself  in  Jacob's  good 
graces,  she  flattered  his  mania  by  suggesting  to  him 
the  thought  of  giving  lectures  on  Judaism.  He  fell 
into  the  trap  with  enthusiasm,  in  spite  of  the  obstacles 
which  he  knew  he  would  encounter.  His  friends, 
under  one  pretext  or  another,  refused  to  give  their 
houses  for  this  edifying  purpose.  At  last  Bartold, 
against  his  will,  but  for  friendship's  sake,  put  his  at 
the  Jew's  disposition. 

Israelites  alone  were  invited.  The  only  exceptions 
were  Madame  Wtorkowska  and  her  daughter,  as  was 
very  natural.  Many  Jews,  for  fear  of  being  accused 
of  superstition  and  ridicule,  excused  themselves  at  the 
last  moment,  feigning  indisposition. 

The  room  was  large  and  commodious.  It  had  no 
Jewish  features,  for  the  master  of  the  house  lived  in 
European  style,  although  without  luxury.  Ostentation 
was  nowhere  to  be  seen  in  the  dwelling  of  this  descend- 
ant of  Levi,  who,  with  all  his  boasting  of  his  biblical 
nobility,  was  really  an  honest  and  a  modest  man  and 
a  good  Polish  citizen. 

That  evening  Madame  Bartold  had  put  her  chil- 
dren to  bed  at  an  early  hour.  She  was  dressed  in 
good  taste,  and  took  great  care  that  nothing  should 
be  wanting  in  any  direction. 

The  ladies  were  in  the  minority,  —  Madame 
Wtorkowska,  Emusia,  Mathilde,  and  two  others. 
Among  the  men  were  missing  Mann  and  Mathilde's 
father,  who  thought  all  this  Hebrew  nonsense  the  issue 
of  a  diseased   imagination.      Kruder  was    there,  for 


256  THE    JEW. 

he  desired  admittance  to  all  reunions.  Ivas  also,  and 
Wilk,  who  sought  everywhere  converts  to  the  revolu- 
tionary cause.  Henri  had  come,  ostensibly  to  escort 
his  wife,  but  really  to  converse  freely  with  Muse.  He 
often  visited  her ;  but  her  mother  was  always  present, 
and  she  frequently  took  advantage  of  his  attentions 
to  her  daughter  to  borrow  money  of  the  gallant  vis- 
itor, whose  passion  disposed  him  to  pecuniary  sacri- 
fices. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  room  was  full.  Madame  Bar- 
told,  crimson  with  fatigue,  and  redder  still  with  timid- 
ity, sought  to  give  every  one  a  seat. 

On  a  table  loaded  with  books  was  a  carafe  of 
water,  a  glass,  and  some  sugar.  All  awaited  the  lec- 
turer. 

They  commenced  by  serving  tea  to  the  company ; 
then  Jacob  appeared.  A  solemn  silence  indicated 
that  his  audience  was  prepared  to  listen  attentively. 
Not  being  accustomed  to  speaking  in  public,  he  looked 
around  him,  and  commenced  in  a  weak  and  hesitat- 
ing voice,  which  gradually  grew  stronger. 

"  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  :  It  is  not  without  appre- 
hension that  as  a  Jew  I  present  myself  before  Jews, 
many  of  whom  blush  for  their  origin  ;  before  Jews  who 
know  the  history  of  France  and  England  better  than 
their  own  history ;  before  Jews  who  know  more  of  San- 
scrit literature  than  of  the  Bible.  From  all  sides  we 
have  been  reproached  for  our  spirit  of  retirement  and 
of  separation.  We  have  been  constrained  to  it,  and 
the   fault  was  not  with  us.     How  much  more  justly 


AKIBA. 


257 


could  men  to-day  make  the  merited  reproach  of 
our  having  ceased  to  be  ourselves,  and  of  losing 
our  own  identity  without  identifying  ourselves  with 
others.  We  are  here  in  continual  antagonism  with 
the  country  we  inhabit,  to  which  many  ties  should 
unite  us.  It  appears  that  even  that  does  not 
suffice  us,  and  we  have  divorced  ourselves  from  our 
own  past. 

"  It  is  this  past,  with  its  poetry,  that  I  would  recall 
to  you ;  for  the  time  has  come  to  appreciate  it,  and  I 
wish  to  show  you  some  of  its  characteristic  beauties. 

"Without  culling  heie  and  there  detached  frag- 
ments of  this  treasure,  I  prefer  to  relate  to  you  the 
entire  life  of  a  man  who  holds  a  place  in  sacred  and 
legendary  history.     My  hero  is  the  celebrated  Akiba. 

"  Akiba  was  so  poor  in  his  youth  that  he  served  as 
a  shepherd  for  the  wealthy  Kalba  Chaboua.  He  be- 
came enamoured  of  his  master's  daughter,  and  this 
love  was  the  source  of  his  wisdom.  The  young  girl 
responded  to  the  tender  sentiment,  but  she  made  it 
the  spur  of  an  intelligence  of  which  she  had  divined 
the  value  and  the  extent. 

*  '  If  you  wish  me  to  marry  you,'  said  she,  '  you 
must  promise  to  devote  your  life  to  science.' 

"  Akiba  promised,  and  they  were  married  clandes- 
tinely. Kalba  Chaboua  discovered  the  secret,  dis- 
owned his  daughter,  and  drove  them  from  his  house. 
They  wandered  a  long  time  without  shelter,  sleeping 
at  night  under  the  open  sky.  For  a  bed  they  had 
only  a  small  bundle  of  straw,  and  tradition  relates  that 


258  THE    JEW. 

one  morning  the  beautiful  black  hair  of  the  young 
woman  was  full  of  straws.  Akiba  drew  them  out 
gently,  and  lamented  their  hard  fate. 

" '  Dearest,'  said  he  tenderly,  '  if  I  could  I  would 
give  thee  rich  garments,  and  I  would  hang  on  thy 
neck  a  golden  Jerusalem,'  —  an  ornament  which  rep- 
resented the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  which  was  much 
worn  among  the  Jewish  women. 

"  As  he  said  the  words  he  was  accosted  by  a  beggar 
clothed  in  rags. 

" '  Have  pity  on  me,'  cried  he,  l  and  give  me  a  hand- 
ful of  straw  to  put  under  my  wife's  head.  She  is  sick, 
and  lying  over  there  on  the  cold  ground.' 

"  Akiba  gave  the  poor  man  what  he  demanded. 

"  \  Behold,'  said  he,  '  an  unfortunate  still  more 
wretched   than  ourselves  !  ' 

"  Akiba,  in  order  to  keep  his  promise  to  his  wife, 
decided,  in  spite  of  his  repugnance,  to  enter  the  school 
of  Nakhum  Gamsu.  He  was  obliged  to  leave  his  wife, 
who  entered  service,  and  never  ceased  during  the 
twelve  years  that  separated  them  to  write  her  husband 
encouraging  letters,  completely  forgetting  her  own 
discomforts. 

"  One  day,  pensive  and  sad,  Akiba  followed  a  soli- 
tary path.  A  little  brook  attracted  his  attention.  The 
water  had  pierced  a  rock  by  gradual  dropping,  and 
flowed  gently  through. 

"  '  If  drops  of  water,'  remarked  the  future  sage, 
'  have  such  power,  what  force  will  not  then  the  human 
will  have.' 


AKIBA. 


259 


"He  presented  himself  before  his  teachers  without 
weakness  and  without  false  shame.  He  commenced 
with  the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  and  in  his  free  mo- 
ments he  gathered  wood  and  sold  the  fagots  in  the 
market-place.  Half  of  his  earnings  fed  him,  the 
other  half  clothed  and  lodged  him. 

"Akiba  soon  astonished  his  masters.  From  a 
scholar  he  became  an  eminent  professor.  Thousands 
of  disciples  grouped  around  him. 

"  During  this  time  his  wife  waited.  A  wicked  neigh- 
bour insinuated  that  he  had  abandoned  her  and  would 
never  return. 

"  '  It  was  I,'  replied  the  wife,  '  twelve  years  ago,  who 
begged  him  to  leave  me  and  devote  himself  to  science. 
If  he  prolong  his  studies  twelve  years  longer,  it  will 
be  well.' 

"  Akiba  heard  of  this  advice,  given  indirectly,  and 
profited  by  it.  After  the  lapse  of  this  time  he  returned 
to  his  native  place.  His  renown  had  preceded  him. 
All  the  population  turned  out  to  see  him,  and  his 
wife  was  in  the  crowd.  The  wicked  neighbour  asked 
her  how  she  dared  present  herself  in  rags  before  such 
an  illustrious  man. 

"  '  My  husband  knows  my  heart,'  replied  she  simply. 
Before  she  was  perceived,  she  ran  out  and  threw  her- 
self at  his  feet.  The  pupils  of  Akiba  would  have  re- 
pulsed her,  but  he  said  :  — 

"  '  Let  her  come  to  me.  She  is  my  wife,  and  it  is  to 
her  that  you  and  I  owe  much.' 

"  Kalba  Chaboua  at  last  forgave  his  daughter  and  his 
son-in-law,  and  received  them  into  his  house. 


26o  THE    JEW. 

"  Akiba  had  two  remarkable  teachers,  —  Eliezer  and 
Nahum.  The  former  was  called  the  sealed  vase,  for 
he  never  lost  a  drop  of  acquired  science.  The  latter, 
subtle  and  penetrating,  shone  by  the  fineness  of  his 
analysis.  Their  pupil  united  to  the  erudition  of  the 
one  the  critical  spirit  of  the  other. 

"  When  he  commenced  his  teaching  the  Jews  had 
many  traditions  accumulated  for  ages  and  transmitted 
orally.  He  collected  and  wrote  them  down,  accom- 
panying them  with  commentaries  intended  to  rec- 
oncile the  legends  with  the  sacred  writings.  He 
founded  a  school  which  attracted  universal  admira- 
tion. 

"  At  the  epoch  when  he  lived  religious  spirit  fer- 
mented ;  by  the  side  of  the  philosophical  sects  of 
Greece,  Christianity  developed  ;  Gnosticism  grafted  its 
poetical  reveries  on  monotheism,  and  differences  mul- 
tiplied. 

"  Many  Jews  were  converted  to  the  gospel  under 
one  form  or  another.  Akiba  remained  faithful  to  the 
Mosaic  belief.  He  was  so  profoundly  absorbed  in 
the  mystery  of  the  divine  essence,  that  the  angels 
wished  to  chastise  him  for  his  presumption  in  wishing 
to  know  all,  to  penetrate  all.  God  restrained  the 
wrath  of  these  messengers,  and  said  to  them :  — 

"  '  He  is  worthy  of  meditating  on  my  grandeur.' 

"  Devout  as  was  Akiba,  he  excelled-  in  modern 
science.  He  destroyed  by  his  criticisms  many  things 
which  his  contemporaries  called  miraculous,  rejected 
the   prodigious  pretensions  credited  by  superstition, 


AKIBA.  261 

and  was  pleased  to  demonstrate  the  immutability  of  the 
laws  of  nature. 

"  Contrary  to  the  other  rabbis,  he  rejected  the  be- 
lief in  eternal  punishment.  One  day,  when  travelling, 
having  with  him  a  cock  and  an  ass,  he  arrived  at 
a  village,  and  went  in  vain  from  door  to  door  asking 
hospitality. 

"  '  God  doeth  all  things  well,'  said  he.  This  was  his 
favourite  saying.  Then  he  entered  a  deep  forest,  where 
he  sought  by  the  light  of  his  lantern  a  place  to  repose. 
The  wind  put  out  his  light,  and  he  lay  down  repeating, 
'God  doeth  all  things  well.'  Just  then  a  wild-cat 
strangled  his  cock  and  a  wolf  came  and  tore  his  ass 
in  pieces  ;  still  Akiba  repeated  '  God  doeth  all  things 
well.' 

"  In  reality,  though  he  had  met  these  misfortunes  he 
had  saved  his  life,  which  had  been  surely  lost  had  he 
slept  in  the  village.  His  humility  and  confidence  in 
God  were  his  chief  characteristics. 

"  Once  Akiba  appeared  in  great  spirits  at  the  bedside 
of  a  dying  man  who  lamented  his  approaching  end, 
and  whose  friends  were  weeping  around  his  bed. 
When  asked  the  cause  of  his  gayety, — 

"  '  There  is  no  man  without  sin,'  said  he,  *  and  I  am 
rejoiced  that  this  one  has  expiated  his  during  his  life.' 

"  Another  time  it  was  a  wise  man  who  was  tortured 
with  frightful  pains.  Three  old  savants,  his  friends, 
came  to  console  him,  and  spoke  in  praise  of  his  wis- 
dom. 


262  THE    JEW. 

"  e  Science,'  said  the  first,  '  is  more  useful  to  Israel 
than  the  dew  to  the  earth.  The  dew  gives  the  earth 
temporary  life,  wisdom  prepares  the  soul  for  eternal 
life.' 

"' Wisdom,'  continued  the  second,  'is  more  neces- 
sary than  the  light  of  the  sun.  The  one  guides  us 
here  below,  the  other  conducts  us  to  heaven.' 

"  Then  the  third  spoke  thus  :  — 

"  '  You  have  been  to  Israel  more  than  a  father  and  a 
mother.  Our  parents  give  us  earthly  life  ;  you,  the 
life  celestial.' 

"  When  Akiba's  turn  came  to  speak,  he  said  sim- 
ply : — 

"  '  It  is  sweet  to  suffer  here  below.' 

" '  Raise  me  up,'  cried  the  dying  man  •  '  I  wish  to 
hear  the  second  time  these  words,  for  they  comfort  me.' 

"  Akiba  deemed  suffering  salutary  for  individuals  and 
for  nations.  He  compared  Israel,  stained  with  blood 
by  Vespasian  and  his  successors,  to  a  white  horse 
adorned  with  purple  reins.  He  was  not  over-scrupu- 
lous in  religious  observances.  His  prayers  were  short. 
He  wore  his  usual  simple  garments  on  holy  days,  not- 
withstanding the  biblical  command  to  array  one's 
self  with  particular  care. 

" '  God,'  said  he,  '  will  more  readily  pardon  sins 
committed  against  himself  than  evil  done  a  neighbour. 
The  Israelite  owes  justice  not  only  to  the  Israelites, 
but  to  the  pagans.' 

"  He  loved  to  discuss  morals  under  anecdotal  form. 
Here  is  a  specimen  of  his  method  :  — 


AKIBA. 


263 


"  Two  men  were  in  the  midst  of  a  desert.  They 
had  only  water  enough  for  one.  What  ought  they  to 
do  ?  To  share  the  water  was  certain  death  to  both. 
'That  is  not  the  solution  of  the  dilemma,'  added 
Akiba ;  '  one  must  sacrifice  himself  for  the  other,  that 
one,  at  least,  should  live.' 

"  In  advance  of  his  times,  the  sage  had  a  profound 
respect  for  human  life,  and  he  was  one  of  the  first 
opponents  of  the  death  penalty. 

"  Having  become  rich,  thanks  to  his  father-in-law,  he 
was  a  benefactor  to  the  poor  and  a  promoter  of  all 
charitable  associations. 

"  '  Whoever,'  he  used  to  say,  '  does  not  relieve  a 
sick  person,  when  it  is  in  his  power  to  do  so,  is  an 
assassin.' 

"  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  did 
not  weaken  Akiba's  faith  in  divine  justice.  While 
Israel  wept  over  the  smoking  ruins  of  the  holy  city, 
he  smiled  and  predicted  a  brighter  future.  He 
always  taught  resignation  to  the  divine  will.  But  in- 
cessant persecutions  aroused  in  him  a  violent  irritation 
against  the  Romans,  and  a  thirst  for  martyrdom.  He 
lived  in  an  epoch  when  the  Jews  were  most  unfortu- 
nate. Domitian  continued  the  horrors  of  Vespasian 
and  of  Titus.  They  struck  blows  on  all  sides,  and 
sought  particularly  a  descendant  of  David,  of  whom 
popular  rumour  proclaimed  the  existence,  and  who 
intended,  it  was  said,  to  avenge  Israel's  woes. 

"  Akiba  converted  many  Romans  to  the  Hebrew 
monotheism.      Flavius   Clemens,   a    relative   of   the 


264  THE    JEW. 

emperor,  was  put  to  death  for  having  embraced  this 
doctrine,  and  his  wife  was,  for  the  same  reason,  con- 
demned to  exile.  After  the  death  of  this .  Caesar, 
Israel  breathed  again  during  the  two  years'  reign  of 
Nerva  and  during  the  first  ten  years  of  the  reign  of 
Trajan ;  but  they  paid  dearly  for  this  short  respite. 
The  Jews  of  Syria,  of  Mesopotamia,  of  Armenia  and 
Persia,  took  arms  in  favour  of  the  Parthians,  and  drew 
on  themselves  the  wrath  of  Rome,  whose  soldiers 
massacred  them  in  great  numbers.  They  soon  took 
up  arms  again  upon  the  Euphrates,  and  revolted  at 
Cyprus  and  in  Egypt.  New  persecutions  and  repres- 
sions followed  under  the  reign  of  Adrian. 

"  Akiba,  a  man  of  science,  was  changed  by  these 
troubles  into  a  man  of  action.  He  travelled  over  the 
different  parts  of  the  empire  to  prepare  a  general  up- 
rising. He  entered  into  relations  with  Simon,  or  Bar 
Kokhba,  called  the  child  of  destiny  when  he  was  in 
the  height  of  his  prosperity,  the  child  of  lies  after  he 
had  lost  his  fortune. 

"This  Simon,  intrepid,  daring,  and  of  attractive 
manner,  had  with  his  majestic  height  all  the  quali- 
ties required  for  the  leader  of  an  insurrection.  He 
pleased  Akiba,  who  proclaimed  him  Messiah.  The 
title  attracted  thousands  of  volunteers,  for  the  idea  of 
a  deliverer  sent  by  God  was  attached  to  the  name  of 
Messiah.  Simon  admitted  to  the  ranks  of  his  army 
only  the  strong  and  vigorous,  many  of  whom  were 
able  to  tear  a  large  tree  from  the  earth  with  their 
hands.     Full  of  a  confidence  which  he  communicated 


AKIBA.  265 

to  others,  Bar  Kokhba  often  addressed  to  God  this 
strange  prayer :  — 

"  '  If  thou  dost  not  wish  to  come  to  my  aid,  at  least 
do  not  favour  my  foes ;  for  if  thou  dost  not  support 
them  I  will  vanquish  them.' 

"To  excessive  presumption  he  owed  his  ultimate 
defeat  after  many  brilliant  triumphs.  The  Roman 
governor  of  Palestine  was  completely  routed.  Fifty 
cities  or  towns  and  nine  hundred  and  eighty- five 
villages  fell  into  the  power  of  the  insurgents.  Estab- 
lished at  Bitar,  Bar  Kokhba  made  that  city  his  capi- 
tal, fortified  it,  and  coined  money  in  his  own  name. 
Adrian  was  troubled.  The  Jews  everywhere  refused 
to  pay  taxes.  He  sent  to  Britain  for  one  of  his  most 
able  lieutenants,  Julius  Severus.  Severus  advised  pa- 
tience ;  he  attacked  the  Jews  by  detachments,  and 
finished  by  surrounding  Bitar,  whose  inhabitants  he 
reduced  to  famine.  Bar  Kokhba  defended  his  city 
until  death. 

"  It  is  sad  to  remember  that  this  valiant  chief  soiled 
his  life  by  an  unpardonable  act.  During  the  siege, 
the  wise  Eliezer,  Akiba's  teacher,  gave  himself  up  to 
fasting  and  prayer.  This  contemplative  life  in  the 
midst  of  general  activity  was  called  treasonable  ;  the 
Messiah  ordered  him  put  to  death,  and  the  devout 
scholar  was  killed.  It  is  estimated  that  a  half- million 
of  Israelites  lost  their  lives  in  this  formidable  revolt. 
After  the  combat  the  fugitives  were  pitilessly  pursued. 
Many  died  of  hunger  in  the  forests  and  caverns,  the 
survivors    nourished  themselves   on   the   corpses  of 


266  THE    JEW. 

their  brothers,  and  those  who  fell  into  the  power  of 
the  Romans  were  massacred  or  sold  as  slaves.  Adrian 
renewed  the  edict  of  Trajan,  forbidding  the  Jews  to 
perform  their  religious  rites  or  to  teach  their  faith. 
All  literature  that  might  maintain  or  propagate  the 
national  sentiments  was  suppressed.  Jerusalem  was 
peopled  with  Romans,  and  on  the  site  of  the  Temple 
of  Solomon  arose  a  temple  to  Jupiter,  adorned  with 
his  statue.  They  even  changed  the  name  of  the  vio- 
lated city,  calling  it  (Elia  Capitolina,  from  the  name 
(Elius.  The  Jews  were  forbidden  to  stay  there,  or 
even  to  enter.  At  the  gate  which  led  to  Bethle- 
hem the  head  of  a  pig  was  exposed  as  a  permanent 
insult. 

"  After  the  peace,  Akiba  was  not  immediately  mo- 
lested in  spite  of  his  participation  in  the  insurrection, 
—  a  moral  participation,  perhaps,  but  very  efficacious. 
He  continued,  contrary  to  the  imperial  edict,  to  explain 
the  holy  books.  He  was  soon  arrested,  on  the  order 
of  that  same  Rufus  who  had  conquered  the  '  child  of 
destiny,'  and  who  was  the  new  governor  of  Judea. 
The  old  man  was  shut  up  in  a  dark  dungeon,  and  his 
only  nourishment  was  bread  and  water.  Instead  of 
drinking  this  water  he  used  it  for  the  ablutions  pre- 
scribed by  the  law.  He  was  condemned  to  torture 
and  to  death.  In  the  midst  of  the  most  excruciating 
sufferings,  when  the  hour  of  prayer,  called  Chema,  ar- 
rived, he  began  to  recite  in  a  loud  voice.  The  execu- 
tioner was  astonished,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  charms 
to  banish  his  pains, 


AKIBA. 


267 


tt  t 


I  have  no  charms,'  replied  he  calmly ;  '  but  I 
have  always  desired  to  offer  God  the  sacrifice  of  my 
life.     My  wish  is  granted,  and  I  rejoice.' 

"  He  continued  his  prayer,  and  reaching  the  words, 
*  There  is  but  one  God/  gave  up  the  ghost." 


26S  THE    JEW 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

ALEA    JACTA    EST. 

The  audience  had  listened  attentively.  The  im- 
pressions produced  were  different  and  not  altogether 
favourable.  Some  faces  expressed  an  ironical  disap- 
probation, others  impatience  and  weariness.  Never- 
theless, after  the  lecture  was  over  they  all  hastened  to 
thank  the  orator  with  many  compliments.  After  a 
while  the  critics  commenced  :  — 

"  Fanaticism  plays  a  great  part  in  this  historical  lec- 
ture," remarked  Henri  Segel. 

"  I  do  not  like  these  legends ;  they  are  pure  inven- 
tion," said  another. 

"  All  these  old  persecutions  appear  improbable  to- 
day," added  a  third. 

"  They  can,  nevertheless,  be  renewed  with  the  most 
frightful  details  against  us  or  against  other  nations," 
replied  Jacob.  "  Conquerors  are  always  savage  in 
their  vengeance,  whether  they  are  called  Nero,  Do- 
mitian,  Trajan,  Adrian,  or  "  — 

He  was  interrupted  by  some  one  who  asked  :  — 

"  What,  in  the  nineteenth  century?  " 

"  Yes  ;  in  our  own  times.  Utinam  simfalsus  vates! 
Can  I  be  a  false  prophet?  " 

"  But,  monsieur,"  said  Muse,  "  you  owe  us  something 
more  gay,  more  agreeable." 


ALEA    J  ACT  A    EST.  26o 

"  Hebrew  literature  furnishes  certainly  agreeable 
and  amusing  stories,  but  the  choice  is  difficult." 

Jacob  turned  some  pages  of  the  Talmud. 

"The  Rabbi  Gamaliel,  who  was  put  to  death  by 
Rufus  in  the  same  manner  as  Akiba,  related  one  day 
to  a  pagan  prince  the  creation  of  woman  in  Genesis. 

" '  If  that  is  true,'  said  the  prince,  '  your  God  acts 
like  a  malefactor,  robbing  a  rib  from  Adam  during 
his  sleep.' 

"  The  younger  daughter  of  Gamaliel  heard  of  the 
conversation. 

"  ■  Permit  me,  father,  to  reply,'  said  sne. 

"The  rabbi  consented,  and  she  approached  the 
prince  supplicatingly. 

"  •  My  lord,'  said  she,  « I  come  to  demand  justice.' 

" '  What  has  happened  ?  ' 

" '  A  robbery  has  been  committed  in  our  house  :  a 
thief  entered  the  house  in  the  night  and  stole  a  silver 
cup,  leaving  in  its  place  a  golden  one.' 

"  '  What  an  honest  thief !  Would  to  Heaven  we 
had  more  like  him  ! '  cried  the  prince. 

"  '  Very  well,  then,  my  lord.  Our  God  is  a  male- 
factor of  the  same  stamp.  He  took  from  Adam  a 
part  of  his  body,  and  gave  him  the  beautiful  Eve  in 
exchange.' 

"  '  The  comparison  is  ingenious ;  but  your  God  had 
better  have  acted  in  a  frank  and  open  manner.  Why 
should  he  have  employed  clandestine  means  ?  ' 

"  The  young  girl  said  in  reply  :  — 

"  '  Will  you  permit  me  to  bring  here  a  piece  of  raw 
meat  ? ' 


270  THE    JEW. 

"  <  Certainly.' 

"As  soon  as  she  had  the  meat  the  daughter  of 
Gamaliel  went  to  the  fire,  cut  it,  and  prepared  it  in 
the  presence  of  the  astonished  prince,  and  when  it 
was  cooked,  invited  him  to  eat. 

" '  My  child,  I  know  it  is  well  cooked,  but  to  have 
seen  it  done  in  detail  takes  away  my  appetite.' 

" '  Behold  why  God  did  not  wish  Adam  to  assist  at 
the  preparation  of  his  wife.  Perhaps  he  also  would 
not  have  wished  to  possess  her.' 

"The  Talmud,"  continued  Jacob,  "explains  why 
God  did  not  take  the  woman  from  the  eyes,  nor  the 
mouth,  nor  the  arms." 

"  Suspend  the  conversation  and  conceal  the  Talmud. 
I  hear  knocks  at  the  door,"  said  Henri. 

"  Why  should  I  do  that?  " 

"  Perhaps  it  is  a  stranger ;  it  is  not  desirable  that 
he  should  surprise  us  in  full  Judaism." 

"Should  we,  then,  be  ashamed  of  our  part?"  said 
Jacob  sadly. 

Kruder,  who  had  left  the  room,  entered,  pale  and 
agitated. 

"What  is  it?  "  asked  Bartold. 

"  While  you  have  been  so  quiet  here  there  has 
been  a  massacre.  The  military  have  surprised  a  po- 
litical meeting,  and  it  is  said  that  many  were  killed 
and  wounded." 

"  Let  us  go  ! "  cried  Jacob.  "  Let  us  go  where  the 
blood  flows,  and  where  victims  are  demanded.  We 
should  be  found  there ; "  and  he  seized  his  hat,  but 
Bartold  withheld  him. 


A  LEA    J  ACT  A    EST.  2Jl 

"  Wait,"  said  he  ;  "  this  is  but  the  prologue  of  the 
drama.  It  is  evident  that  we  should  not  hold  our- 
selves aloof,  there  I  agree  with  you  ;  but  we  must  not 
act  in  an  imprudent  manner.  The  thing  is  probably 
over  for  to-day.  I  propose  that  we  consult  together 
as  to  what  is  best  to  do." 

"  Where,  where  ?  "  came  from  all  sides. 

"At  Mann's.     We  can  do  nothing  without  him." 

"When?" 

"  To-morrow  morning." 

Kruder  threw  himself  in  a  chair.  "Alea  jacta 
est"  said  he.     "Unhappy  Poland  !  " 

The  tragedy  occurred  on  the  street,  at  a  time  when 
the  nobles  had  arrived  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom, 
for  a  general  reunion  of  the  Agricultural  Society.  No 
one  had  foreseen  the  sinister  event,  no  one. wished  for 
it ;  but  an  invisible  hand  seemed  to  precipitate  it. 

After  he  left  Bartold's,  Jacob  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  to  visit  the  scene  of  the  catastrophe.  A 
lugubrious  silence  reigned  there.  Noiseless  pedes- 
trians hurriedly  regained  their  homes,  gliding  silently 
through  the  misty  shadows.  Here  and  there  a  sen- 
tinel was  stationed.  On  the  grave  faces  of  the  sol- 
diers he  believed  that  he  could  read  the  struggle 
between  military  honour  and  human  duty. 

Near  the  Hotel  Europe  Jacob  met  a  group  of 
nobles  who  came  out  of  the  governmental  palace  ;  they 
were  excited,  and  conversed  in  low  voices.  As  he 
passed  on,  by  the  door  of  the  hotel,  some  one  seized 
his  hand,  and  he  recognized  Gromof,  the  companion 


272  THE    JEW. 

of  Lucie  Coloni.  Taking  his  arm,  Gromof  drew  him 
into  the  house,  and  made  him  mount  several  pairs  of 
stairs  without  saying  a  word. 

They  entered  the  apartment  of  the  Italian  lady, 
and  found  her  seated  on  a  couch.  She  looked  at 
Gromof  and  left  the  room;  alone  with  Jacob,  the 
Russian  said  :  — 

'     "  You  are  young,  monsieur,  and  you  cannot  be  al- 
together indifferent  to  that  which  is  happening ;  you 
ought  to  know  everything  about  it." 
"Of  what?" 

"  Of  the  intended  revolution." 
"  I  know  absolutely  nothing,  I  assure  you." 
"Do  you  take  me  for  a  spy,  an  informer?"  asked 
Gromof. 

"  Be  cool  and  wise,  my  friend.  I  have  scarcely  re- 
turned to  my  home.  I  am  a  Jew,  and,  if  you  will  re- 
call it,  in  the  depths  of  my  soul  an  enemy  to  all  revo- 
lution." 

"And  why  are  you  opposed  to  revolutions?  " 
"Because  they  lead  to  nothing,  they  are  convul- 
sive maladies,  they  retard  the  normal  march  of  prog- 
ress, and  their  cruel  repressions  push  the  people  to 
despair.  I  think  that  there  are  means  more  efficacious 
than  rebellions ;  but  this  discussion  will  lead  us  too 
far.  I  am  not  a  revolutionist,  I  repeat  to  you ;  but  if 
this  country,  which  is  the  land  of  my  choice,  needs 
my  blood  and  my  life,  I  will  give  them  willingly.  I 
will  go  with  the  others." 

"  You  are  a  man  of  good  faith.     It  is  enough   to 


A  LEA    J  ACT  A    EST.  273 

see  you  and  fo  hear  you  to  be  convinced  of  it.  I 
will  then  be  as  frank  with  you  as  I  can,  without  be- 
traying the  secrets  of  others.  I  am  a  revolutionist 
myself  by  principle,  for  I  am  a  Russian.  My  neck 
bears  the  mark  of  an  iron  collar  j  on  my  arms  are 
imprints  made  by  chains ;  the  stigma  of  slavery  is 
engraved  on  my  thoughts,  on  my  conscience,  and  on 
my  words.  I  am  ready  to  sacrifice  myself  to  over- 
throw the  world,  to  shed  torrents  of  blood,  at  any 
cost  to  deliver  my  country  from  intellectual  servitude, 
from  moral  degradation,  from  a  maternal  slavery 
which  makes  me  blush  to  call  myself  a  Russian  in  the 
eyes  of  the  world.  With  us  a  revolution  is  a  neces- 
sity. Otherwise  we  shall  never  gain  the  rights  of  men  ; 
but  in  this  uprising  we  must  be  united.  Wait  until 
we  give  the  signal ;  then  march  united  ;  if  you  engage 
in  this  combat  against  despotism  alone,  you  will  com- 
promise both  your  future  and  ours.  Use,  I  entreat 
you,  all  your  influence  to  stop  this  absurd,  tempestu- 
ous, and  premature  outbreak.  Russia  will  remain 
chained  for  a  century  yet,  if  your  foolish  precipitation 
is  not  abated.  If  you  rebel  now,  you  will  only  be 
playing  into  their  hands ;  it  is  the  very  thing  they 
want  you  to  do  ;  as  in  181 2,  they  will  appeal  to  the 
patriotism  of  the  masses,  and  set  them  upon  you  like 
wild  beasts  after  their  prey.  An  infamous  bureaucracy 
will  wallow  in  the  blood  of  vanquished  Poland  ; 
oppressed  and  down-trodden,  she  will  find  it  difficult 
to  rise  again.  There  will  be  persecutions,  murders, 
and  exile  of  hundreds  at  a  time  to  Siberia.  That  is 
what  awaits  you  if  you  do  not  take  my  warning." 


274  THE   JEW- 

"  Have  you  talked  with  any  of  our  young  men  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  with  some  of  the  military  j  but  scarcely  had  I 
opened  my  mouth  when  they  took  me  for  an  agent 
of  the  third  section,  and  would  not  listen  to  me. 
And  yet,  if  these  madmen  would  only  remain  quiet 
two  or  three  years,  we  Russian  revolutionists  would 
have  time  to  work  through  the  army  and  to  instil  in 
all  hearts  a  desire  for  freedom,  to  turn  the  emancipa- 
tion of  the  serfs  made  for  the  profit  of  the  govern- 
ment against  this  same  government,  and  to  spread 
from  the  shores  of  the  Neva  the  cry  of  freedom  for 
Russia  as  well  as  for  Poland.  It  is  certain  to  come 
some  day  j  but  your  headstrong  Poles  will  retard  it  if 
they  do  not  listen  to  reason.  Could  you  not  arrange 
for  me  to  meet  some  of  the  leaders  of  the  agita- 
tion?" 

"  Truly,  I  do  not  know  them.  A  youth  who  has 
more  enthusiasm  than  good  sense  appears  to  be  the 
leader  in  this  movement." 

"  This  youth  is  only  an  instrument,  I  think,"  said 
the  Russian.  "  Where  are  the  serious  men,  the  ear- 
nest ones?" 

"I  do  not  believe  there  are  any." 

"  Young  men  are  active  in  war,  but  need  old  men 
in  counsel.  How  came  the  country  to  be  abandoned 
to  such  authority?  You  are  mocking  me,  no  doubt. 
You  do  not  trust  me.     You  will  not  speak." 

"  If  I  had  had  suspicions,  they  might  have  been 
justified,  for  I  hardly  know  you  j  but  I  give  you  my 
word  of  honour  that  I  do  not    belong  to    any   such 


A  LEA    J  ACT  A    EST.  275 

conspiracy,  nor  to  any  secret  society.  I  am  ready, 
however,  to  give  my  life  when  the  hour  of  the  su- 
preme   holocaust  arrives." 

"  I  believe  you  ;  but  your  heroism  is  inconceivable. 
To  be  willing  to  die  with  those  who  do  not  confide  in 
you  is  strange.  " 

"  It  is  not  so  strange,  and  it  is  not  heroism.  It 
will  only  be  the  accomplishment  of  my  duty,  and  a 
proof  that  there  are  some  Jews  who  deserve  a  coun- 
try, and  that  some  of  us  love  Poland." 

"  Will  you  save  her  by  your  devotion?  " 

"  No.  And  we  ourselves  will  perish ;  but  we  shall 
have  contracted  an  alliance  of  blood  with  this 
country." 

"  All  that  is  very  fine  and  very  poetic,  but  politics 
require  something  else ;  they  do  not  rely  on  senti- 
mental pity.  By  her  reiterated  heroisms,  Poland  has 
weakened  herself  and  perishes.  Calculation,  oppor- 
tunity, and  stratagem  may  save  her.  Why  does  she 
not  seek  to  make  allies  of  her  own  oppressors,  when 
nothing  could  be  easier  ?  Why  has  she  given  up  her 
place  in  the  government  of  Russia  to  the  Germans? 
Why  has  she  not  sought  to  take  up  all  governmental 
interests,  to  endear  herself  to  us,  and  to  communicate 
to  us  her  liberalism,  her  brilliant  civilization  ?  Why 
has  she  not  been  more  politic  ?  She  has  furnished  us 
only  some  nobles  with  great  names  but  without 
worth,  lackeys  in  court  dress ;  but  men  of  real  im- 
portance, not  one.  They  have  all  kept  aloof.  In 
one  century,  since  the  first  partition  of  your  country, 


276  THE    JEW. 

what  has  been  your  influence  ?  The  Poles  are  much 
more  enlightened  than  the  Russians ;  could  you  not 
have  been  benefactors?  In  a  century  so  little  has 
been  done.  You  have  dissipated  the  years  in  frivol- 
ity, and  each  generation  has  thrown  itself  entirely 
unprepared  into  a  revolution,  always  cruelly  repressed, 
the  result  of  which  was  exile  and  oppression.  Wives 
have  left  their  luxurious  homes  and  accompanied  their 
husbands  to  Siberia.  You  have  harangued,  written, 
and  revealed  to  the  Russian  government  your  own 
weakness,  so  that  they  know  how  to  strike  and  how 
you  will  take  the  blow.  The  Poles  have  the  chival- 
rous instinct  too  fully  developed  ;  you  do  not  dissemble 
enough.  My  word  for  it,  you  must  meet  intrigue 
with  intrigue.  If  you  do  not,  you  will  perish  utterly, 
and  you  will  have  deserved  it  by  your  candour." 

"  A  generation  will  perish,  perhaps,"  said  Jacob, 
"  but  not  Poland.  Under  Russian  oppression,  under 
the  knout  and  the  gallows,  she  will  learn  to  be  more 
serious,  more  persevering,  and  more  wise.  The  cow- 
ardly will  be  terrorized,  but  they  will  be  the  excep- 
tion." 

"  Do  you  know  what  your  spiritual  writer,  Rzewuski, 
said  to  a  Russian  general?  " 

"  No  ;  I  have  not  heard  it." 

"  'I  have  a  wonderful  way  of  discovering  the 
honesty  of  a  Russian  and  the  good  sense  of  a  Pole.' 

"  '  What  is  the  way  ? '  asked  the  general. 

"  '  It  is  only  to  look  in  the  palm  of  the  hand  to  see 
if  there  are  any  hairs  there.'  " 


ALE  A    J  ACTA    EST.  277 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Gromof.  The  Poles  lack 
good  sense  and  we  lack  honesty.  From  the  time  of 
Ivan  the  Terrible  we  have  been  taught  tc  lie,  to  steal, 
and  to  kill  for  the  public  good.  Such  teachings  for 
three  generations  have  naturally  borne  their  fruit.  As 
for  the  Poles,  after  experiencing  such  misfortunes  by 
their  precipitation,  they  should  have  acquired  com- 
mon-sense and  judgment ;  but  they  have  not,  I  regret 
to  say." 

"  What  do  you  wish  of  me,  monsieur?  "  said  Jacob. 

"  I  wish  you  to  try  and  quell  the  passions  of  your 
youthful  revolutionists.  Pray,  supplicate,  admonish, 
and  entreat  them  to  wait ;  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  to 
wait ;  and  if  you  think  your  influence  is  not  great 
enough,  introduce  me  to  a  leader,  a  chief." 

"  One  word,  monsieur,"  said  Jacob.  "  How  can  I 
be  sure  that  you  are  worthy  of  confidence ;  you  are  a 
Russian ;  what  proofs  can  you  give  of  being  worthy  of 
our  confidence?" 

"  I  assure  you  I  merit  your  whole  confidence," 
cried  Gromof,  "  and  I  will  give  proofs  in  writing  and 
on  my  own  body.  I  will  show  on  my  back  ridges 
left  there  by  the  knout,  and  on  my  arms  the  mark  of 
chains.  But,  no  !  no  !  they  do  not  wish  to  believe 
me.  Unhappy  Poland  will  fail  to  secure  liberty,  for 
her  a  forbidden  fruit !  The  throne  of  the  Czar  will 
be  strengthened  by  those  who  thought  to  overthrow 
it.  The  court  will  continue  to  suck  the  people's 
blood.  Oh,  what  a  satanic  laugh  does  your  idiotic 
revolution  provoke  in  me  !     I  will  be  among  the  first 


278  THE    JEW. 

to  prey  on  you,  to  avenge  myself  for  my  destroyed 
hopes.  Yes,  I  will  go  to  see  you  all  hung  with  pleas- 
ure, for  you  will  have  ruined  our  future." 

"Be  calm,"  said  Jacob;  "we  have  not  yet  com- 
menced a  revolution,  and  perhaps  it  may  be  averted. 
These  youth  are  only  a  handful ;  they  may  yet  be 
suppressed." 

"  No  j  if  young  men  are  at  the  head,  neither  them- 
selves nor  any  one  else  can  hold  them  back.  They- 
will  go  to  any  length.  Youth  and  the  mob  are  two 
inflammable  elements.  The  sacrifice  will  be  accom- 
plished. There  will  be  a  heap  of  corpses,  and  the 
bureaucracy  will  make  merry  with  their  samovars  and 
their  brandy  on  the  battle-field.  I  see  your  future  : 
the  country  ravaged,  villages  depopulated,  cities  pil- 
laged, chained  galley  slaves  marching  towards  Siberia, 
bloody  executions,  an  insatiable  vengeance,  and  every- 
where ruins  and  ashes.  That  will  be  your  fate  for 
having  retarded  Russian  liberty  by  your  premature 
revolution." 

"  Do  not  be  so  excited,  I  pray  you." 

"  Not  be  excited  !  That  is  easy  to  say.  Have  you 
suffered  as  I  have  ?  Do  you  know  what  exile  is  ?  Do 
you  know  anything  about  penal  labour?  I  was  con- 
demned to  it  for  life,  but  I  escaped.  Such  labour  is 
very  hard,  but  exile  is  even  more  intolerable." 

After  a  short  silence  Gromof  continued-  — 

"  Braving  all  personal  danger,  I  come  here  to  pre- 
vent, if  possible,  a  fatal  precipitation ;  but  I  fear  it  is 
too  late." 


ALEA    J  ACT  A    EST.  279 

"But,"  said  Jacob,  "how  can  they  commence  a 
revolution  without  arms,  without  money,  without 
leaders  or  soldiers?" 

"  Your  crazy  youth  would  go  to  battle  with  sticks 
and  staves.  The  government,  to  encourage  them,  or 
rather  to  lead  them  into  the  snare  of  their  own  de- 
struction, have  permitted  the  underhand  introduction 
of  a  small  quantity  of  arms ;  they  have  been  allowed 
to  amass  a  little  money,  and  the  government  has 
seemed  to  have  its  eyes  shut  to  a  movement  that  it 
has  really  instigated.  Afterward  they  can  repress  it 
when  they  desire.  In  the  eyes  of  Europe,  the  first 
aggression  will  be  on  your  side.  Your  folly  will  have 
been  heroic,  but  will  only  obtain  a  barren  sympathy. 
Europe  will  authorize  by  her  silence  the  horrible 
cruelties  which  Poland  will  again  endure,  and  des- 
potism, by  this  crafty  political  stroke,  will  be  rein- 
forced for  a  long  time." 

Jacob  did  not  reply,  and  Gromof  grew  warmer  and 
warmer,  when  Lucie  Coloni  came  out  of  the  next 
room,  and,  putting  her  hand  on  his  brow,  said  in  a 
caressing  tone :  — 

"  Serge,  calm  yourself,  or  you  will  be  ill." 

" It  will  kill  me!"  said  Gromof,  hanging  his  head 
for  a  moment,  then  raising  it  he  cried  furiously  :  — 

"  Bad  luck  to  you  !  Bad  luck  to  you,  if  our  project 
is  ruined  by  you  foolish  Poles  !  " 

Jacob  drew  out  his  watch ;  the  situation  was  un- 
pleasant and  he  did  not  know  what  to  do,  what  to 
say.     The  Russian  looked  at  him  reproachfully  as  if 


280  THE    JEW. 

he  had  thrown  cold  water  on  his  hopes  \  he  seated 
himself  again,  and  instead  of  acting  like  one  possessed> 
Gromof  suddenly  became  pleasant  and  agreeable. 

"  Pardon  me,  Monsieur  Jacob,"  said  he,  "  for  having 
revealed  to  you  the  sufferings  of  my  inmost  heart.  Sav- 
age blood  flows  in  my  veins,  which  is  repressed  only 
by  civilization.  All  my  countrymen  are  the  same  ;  we 
Russians  are  savages  at  heart,  but  you  know  now  what 
I  want  of  you  or  any  other  person  who  has  political 
influence  in  the  present  crisis." 

They  parted,  and  Jacob  passing  safely  by  the 
guards  regained  his  dwelling. 


A    PERILOUS   INTERVIEW.  28l 


CHAPTER     XV. 

A   PERILOUS    INTERVIEW. 

Returned  home,  Jacob  found  a  note  from  Muse, 
who  implored  him,  no  matter  at  what  hour  he  re- 
turned, to  come  to  her,  saying  she  would  wait  for  him 
if  necessary  until  morning. 

Until  now  the  grave  young  man,  notwithstanding 
the  marked  devotion  of  his  lovely  proselyte,  had  known 
how  to  maintain  when  in  her  presence  a  respectful 
distance,  avoiding  all  familiar  and  compromising  rela- 
tions. The  mother  and  daughter  endeavoured  in  vain 
to  put  him  in  a  compromising  position.  More  than 
once  things  were  arranged  so  that  he  was  alone  with 
the  young  girl,  who  then  employed  an  insinuating 
sweetness  and  provoking  tenderness ;  but  Jacob  did  not 
cease  to  be  respectful  and  dignified.  There  had  been 
moments  when  this  charming  creature,  animated  by  a 
simulated  passion,  and  recalling  the  Greek  bacchantes, 
had  produced  in  him  an  involuntary  sensation  ;  but  he 
conquered  it,  and  his  love  for  Mathilde  served  as  a 
shield  to  defend  him  against  temptation. 

It  was  past  midnight  when  the  servant  who  had 
brought  the  letter  told  him  that  he  was  expected 
on  the  floor  below.  Jacob  hesitated  ;  but  he  thought 
that  some  urgent  business  had  caused  these  ladies  to 
appeal  to  him,  and  he  decided  to  go. 


2S2  THE    JEW. 

He  found  Muse  in  a  light  piquant  yet  modest  dress, 
her  beautiful  hair  partly  unconfined,  her  shoulders  a 
little  uncovered,  as  if  by  chance.  She  held  a  hand- 
kerchief, and  was  all  prepared  for  tears.  When  he 
entered,  she  ran  to  meet  him. 

"  Oh,  Monsieur  Jacob  !  "  cried  she,  taking  his  hand. 
"What  has  happened?  Where  have  you  been? 
You  were  no  doubt  mixed  up  in  this  affair.  Oh,  I  ask 
you,  for  mercy's  sake,  not  to  throw  yourself  in  the  fray. 
Does  not  friendship  permit  me  to  ask  this  of  you?" 

She  fixed  her  eyes  tenderly  on  Jacob,  who,  perfectly 
calm,  did  not  reply.     Muse  continued  :  — 

"I  am  all  in  a  tremble  about  you.  Do  not  mis- 
judge my  feelings,  for  I  have  for  you  only  the  senti- 
ments of  a  sister,"  and  she  pressed  his  hand  for  the 
second  time. 

"  I  thank  you  very  much,  mademoiselle  ;  but  I  give 
you  my  word  of  honour  that  I  know  nothing  of  the 
events  that  have  taken  place,  and  I  do  not  intend  to 
take  part  in  the  fray." 

"  In  that  case,  why  this  prolonged  absence?" 

U  By  a  singular  chance  a  person  of  my  acquaintance 
stopped  me  and  the  conversation  lasted  long." 

"  It  is  useless,  you  cannot  deceive  me;  "  and  say- 
ing this  she  seized  both  of  his  hands  and  leaned 
toward  him.  He  could  hear  the  beating  of  her  heart, 
her  breath  fanned  his  cheek,  and  her  eyes" sought  to 
magnetize  him. 

"  I  will  tell  you,  then,  that  I  passed  the  rest  of  the 
evening  with  a  Russian,"  said  Jacob  smiling. 


A    PERILOUS   INTERVIEW. 


283 


This  smile,  this  coldness  and  complete  presence  of 
mind,  displeased  Muse.  She  had  hoped  to  see  him 
succumb  to  her  fascinations;  but  she  had  deceived 
herself,  and  this  angered  her  against  him  and  against 
herself.  But  the  more  difficult  it  was  to  inspire  him 
with  no  matter  what  kind  of  love,  the  more  she  was 
determined  to  succeed. 

"  Very  well.  I  believe  you  ;  but  look  at  me,  mon- 
sieur, "  said  she  lowering  her  voice.  "  Have  I  not 
changed?  Hours  of  feverish  anxiety  for  you  are 
graven  on  my  face.  " 

These  words  were  murmured  in  his  ear,  and  were 
scarcely  intelligible. 

"Truly,  mademoiselle,  "  replied  Jacob,  "  I  feel  my- 
self unworthy  of  such  anxiety  on  your  part." 

"  No ;  you  are  not  worthy  of  a  sentiment  that  you 
have  awakened  without  even  deigning  to  perceive  it. 
You  are  so  indifferent,  so  cold."  Then,  as  if  she  had 
said  too  much,  she  lowered  her  eyes  and  was  silent. 

Jacob  felt  sorry  for  her,  and  leaning  towards  her  he 
kissed  her  hand.  Muse  started  as  if  he  had  applied 
a  hot  iron,  trembled  violently,  and  buried  her  head  in 
the  sofa-pillow,      v 

Then  for  the  first  the  thought  that  Muse  loved  him 
struck  Jacob.  To  have  allowed  such  a  sentiment  to 
develop  seemed  to  him  a  great  crime.  He  was  as 
horrified  with  himself  as  if  his  conduct  had  been 
that  of  a  libertine.  He  started  from  his  seat  and 
looked  at  her.  This  sudden  agitation  could  be  inter- 
preted in  different  ways.     Muse  did  not  prolong  the 


284  THE    JEW. 

scene,  for  even  if  the  desired  end  was  not  completely 
attained,  she  hoped  much  for  the  future  in  the  silence 
and  troubled  mien  of  the  young  man. 

"Go,  monsieur  !  "  said  she.  "  I  am  ill.  I  do  not 
know  what  I  have  said.     My  head  is  confused." 

Jacob  hesitated  a  moment,  looked  at  her  pale  face, 
saluted  her  respectfully,  and  went  out.  He  had 
hardly  closed  the  door  behind  him  when  the  mother 
entered. 

"  Very  well,  what  has  happened?  "  asked  she. 

"  He  is  stupid,  very  stupid,"  replied  the  adorable 
Emusia,  shrug(  ing  her  shoulders.  "  He  is  a  fool,  but 
I  will  conquer  him  yet.  " 

"  I  fear,  on  the  contrary,  that  he  is  not  enough  of  a 
fool  for  us,"  replied  Madame  Wtorkowska. 


THE    JEWS   IN    COUNCIL.  2S5 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE   JEWS   IN   COUNCIL. 

A  great  number  of  the  most  influential  Israelites 
assembled  at  Mann's  house  on  the  following  day. 
Mann,  who  was  already  proud  of  being  considered 
the  chief  of  the  Israelites  of  Warsaw,  was  delighted 
to  preside  at  a  meeting  of  so  much  "importance. 

"  Mann,"  whispered  Father  Simon  to  Bartold,  "  this 
poor  Mann,  resembles  this  morning  a  bladder ;  look 
out,  for  he  may  burst." 

"  And  even  if  he  does,  with  what  are  we  threatened  ? 
A  little  wind,  and  nothing  else,"  replied  Bartold 
laughing. 

This  vain  personage  had  really  assumed  a  very 
pompous  manner.  He  looked  around  him  from  the 
height  of  his  grandeur,  and  from  time  to  time  put  his 
hand  on  his  empty  head.  Seated  on  a  sofa  which  he 
occupied  alone,  he  opened  the  meeting  majestically. 

"Messieurs,"  he  said,  "we  have  met  here  to  dis- 
cuss future  events,  for  the  situation  is  complicated. 
What,  then,  should  be  our  role  ?  That  is  the  question 
submitted  to  you.  We  have  always  been  united ;  I 
hope  it  will  now  be  shown  that  we  have  not  changed." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Simon.  "  But  I  vote  a  distri- 
bution of  cigars  before  the  important  debate," 


286  THE    JEW. 

"  Have  done  with  your  jests,"  said  Mann  in  a  firm 
voice,  handing  him  a  cigar.  "  This  is  no  laughing 
matter ;  the  times  are  grave  and  serious  ?  What  attitude 
shall  we  take  toward  the  nobles  ?  What  will  they  do 
now,  after  this  affair  of  last  night?  " 

"  The  nobles  will  do  nothing  at  all.  They  will  dis- 
pute, argue,  vociferate,  and  threaten,  and  the  result 
of  their  consultation  will  be  nothing,"  said  the  incor- 
rigible Simon. 

"  Yes,  that  is  usually  the  way ;  but  this  time  they  are 
forced  to  take  action.  I  will  add  that  the  nobles  have 
almost  always  been  hostile  to  our  race,  and  have  often 
offended  us  by  denying  us  justice." 

"The  nobility  will  always  be  the  nobility,"  replied 
Simon  to  the  chairman,  in  spite  of  his  efforts  to  silence 
him.  "  They  look  on  us  as  their  stewards,  their  bro- 
kers, their  innkeepers.  They  accuse  us  of  exhaling 
garlic  wherever  we  go.  But  they  are  not  at  heart  our 
enemies.  Let  us  speak  of  the  other  side  of  the  mat- 
ter, for,  messieurs,  the  nobles  dream  only  of  sacrificing 
themselves  for  their  beloved  Poland ;  we  do  not  enter 
into  their  calculations  in  that  regard,  and  is  it  not  our 
own  fault?  " 

"The  revolution  is  imminent,"  said  Mann. 

"  It  is  possible,"  observed  Bartold.  "  But  I  believe 
the  nobles  would  like  to  draw  out  of  this  affair,  in 
which  the  middle  class  are  so  active,  and  into  which 
they  seek  to  draw  us." 

"Then  we  must  let  ourselves  be  drawn  in,"  said 
Jacob,  "  in  order  to  become  worthy  citizens  of  the 


THE    JEWS   IN  COUNCIL.  2S7 

country  that  has  received  us  when  we  were  out- 
casts." 

"  Jacob  always  returns  to  this  refrain ;  we  know  his 
theories,  but  at  present  we  are  occupied  with  practical 
things.  What  interest  have  we  in  the  past?"  said 
Mann. 

"  Our  first  interest,"  replied  Jacob,  "  in  a  country 
where  we  are  so  numerous  is  to  be  admitted  to  a  foot- 
ing of  equality.  The  opportunity  now  presents  itself ; 
let  us  profit  by  it ;  let  us  unite  with  the  middle  class." 

"  Nothing  is  so  alluring  as  a  sham  compact  at  the 
outset,  but  afterward  there  are  sure  to  be  mutual  re- 
criminations and  quarrels,"  said  Simon. 

"Take  a  cigar  to  close  your  lips!"  cried  the 
chairman,  who  was  weary  of  the  sentimentalism  of 
the  one  and  the  everlasting  jests  of  the  other. 

"  I  will  give  you  a  second  cigar,  if  you  will  be 
silent,"  added  another. 

"  I  repeat  my  question,"  said  Mann  solemnly. 
"  What  role  ought  we  to  play  at  present,  —  we 
Jews?" 

"Excuse  me,"  said  a  stranger.  "There  are  no 
Jews  here.  We  are  all  Poles,  of  the  religion  of 
Moses." 

A  hearty  applause  showed  approval  of  this  expres- 
sion uttered  for  the  first  time* 

"If  this  view  is  adopted  it  solves  the  question," 
said  Jacob. 

"  Pardon,"  replied  Mann,  "  a  thousand  pardons. 
This  phrase  does  not  decide  whether  we  will  make 


288  THE    JEW. 

common  cause  with  the  nobles,  who  do  not  wish  a 
premature  revolution,  or  with  the  bourgeoisie,  who  are 
the  promoters  of  this  movement." 

"  That's  the  chief  point,"  cried  Simon,  always  eager 
to  give  his  advice.  "  I  vote  for  the  nobles  ;  by  going 
with  them  we  may  succeed  in  obtaining  crests.  I  am 
very  anxious  to  stamp  on  my  seal  three  onions  on  a 
field  of  gold." 

"  Cursed  babbler  !  "  cried  Mann,  striking  the  table 
with  his  fist.     "Will  you  keep  silent  or  not? " 

"  I  will  shut  up,"  said  Simon. 

"  Let  us  be  serious,"  replied  Bartold.  "  Mon- 
sieur Mann  has  put  the  question  well." 

"I  do  not  think  so,"  said  Jacob.  "To  take  sides 
with  this  party  or  that  is  all  that  we  should  have  to 
decide.  The  question  is  altogether  different  for  me. 
Here  it  is  :  What  is  the  better  part  for  us  to  take  in 
the  interest  of  Poland,  our  adopted  country?  " 

"Listen  to  me,"  cried  Henri  Segel.  "We  should 
be  blind,  indeed,  not  to  see  that,  if  we  join  in  a  revo- 
lution lost  in  advance,  it  would  mean  as  certain  ruin 
to  us  as  to  the  rest  of  the  country." 

A  small  man  with  a  consumptive  look  gazed 
around  him,  coughed,  and  let  fall,  drop  by  drop, 
these  words  :  — 

"  We  have  been  long  enough  held  in  contempt  and 
subjection.  The  time  has  arrived  to  come  out  of  it. 
Let  us  think  of  ourselves  only.  The  peasant  does 
not  like  us,  because  he  is  stupid,  and  we  do  not  in- 
spire him  with  fear.     The  nobles  detest  us  and  con- 


THE    JEWS    IN    COUNCIL.  289 

tinually  humiliate  us.  They  will  take  part  in  the 
rebellion ;  if  they  find  it  inevitable,  they  will  consider 
it  a  point  of  honour.  The  Russian  government  hates 
them,  and  will  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to 
confiscate  their  estates  and  drive  them  into  exile.  If 
we  can  be  neutral  during  the  crisis,  what  a  prospect 
opens  before  us  !  In  every  nation,  whatever  be  the 
form  of  government,  be  always  on  the  side  of  the 
governing  class.  We  are  prepared  to  seize  a  high 
position.  We  will  become  the  masters  of  the  coun- 
try." 

"This  idea,"  said  Jacob,  "has  been  often  advanced, 
and  is  nothing  new.  But  there  is  one  objection  :  we 
shall  save  everything  but  honour.  The  fact  of  having 
been  sheltered  from  all  danger  will  condemn  us.  The 
nobility  will  not  entirely  disappear;  many  will  re- 
main. Russia,  too,  has  her  own  revolutionists,  who 
may  overthrow  her  in  a  few  years." 

"  Yes,  before  many  years,"  replied  the  little  man 
dryly ;  "  if  we  do  not  make  ourselves  masters  here, 
we  are  not  worth  a  farthing*  Already  we  dominate 
more  than  half  of  Europe  in  money  matters,  and  the 
German  press  is  largely  at  our  service.  France,  also, 
has  not  escaped  our  influence.  Warsaw  is  called  our 
capital,  a  new  Jerusalem." 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  Jacob,  "  your  prophecy  is  not 
yet  ready  to  be  realized.  We  shall  not  attain  our  end 
by  egotism.  It  would  be  much  better  to  seal  our  fra- 
ternity with  Poland,  and  by  a  sincere  devotion  gain 
her  esteem  by  proving  that  the  people  of  Israel  are  a 


290  THE    JEW. 

noble  people,  that  they  will  not  abase  themselves  by 
taking  sides  with  the  strong  or  the  oppressors.  Never 
has  the  calculation  of  knavery  been  preferable  to  that 
of  honesty." 

"What  is  that  you  are  saying  there?"  interrupted 
Simon.  "  The  Jew  has  always  been  a  trickster,  and 
will  do  well  to  remain  such." 

"  No,  no  !  "  replied  Jacob  warmly.  "  If  servitude 
has  taught  us  deceit  and  falsehood,  is  it  any  reason 
why  we  should  persevere  in  it,  now  that  our  heavy 
chains  are  broken  and  the  way  is  open  to  us?  Let 
us  march  with  the  right,  our  heritage  during  thou- 
sands of  years.  The  glory  of  Israel  is  very  dear  to 
me,  but  I  rely  above  all  on  the  laws  of  God  and  the 
justice  of  our  cause.  Let  us  prove  that  we  are  wor- 
thy of  being  called  the  '  chosen  people  of  God.' 
There  lies  our  grandeur,  we  do  not  need  to  seek  an- 
other." 

"Fine  words,"  said  Mann.  "And  why  shall  we 
not  exult  over  the  defeat  of  our  enemies  ?  They  have 
kept  us  long  enough  in  the  mud  at  the  gates  of  their 
palaces ;  why  should  we  not  be  glad  to  see  them  in 
their  turn  humbled  before  us?  " 

"We  reproach  the  pagans  with  love  of  revenge, 
and  now  do  we  wish  to  imitate  them  ?  Our  faith  has 
been  accused  of  inculcating  that  ignoble  sentiment ; 
while,  on  the  contrary,  the  Christians  preach  forgive- 
ness to  enemies  and  laud  it  as  a  virtue." 

"Virtue,"  said  Mann,  "  is  an  excellent  thing  in  pri- 
vate life,  but  when  the  welfare  of  a  nation  or  a  com- 


THE    JEWS   IN    COUNCIL.  29 1 

munity  is  threatened,  it  is  not  expected  that  we 
should  adhere  strictly  to  virtue." 

"An  old  and  pernicious  prejudice.  The  magicians 
recommend  the  use  of  a  soup  made  from  the  fat  of 
corpses  in  order  to  attain  happiness  in  life,  and  poli- 
ticians of  the  old  school  preach  villany  in  the  interest 
of  the  public  good.  It  is  an  error  :  a  nation  is  never 
saved  by  evil." 

"  You  are  eloquent,  Jacob  ;  but  you  generalize  too 
much.  You  forget  that  the  right  of  conversation  is 
open  to  all.  I  refer  you  to  the  Talmud,  which  you 
quote  so  often." 

"  The  hour  for  the  Bourse  draws  nigh,  and  we  have 
decided  nothing,"  cried  another. 

"  That  which  is  difficult,"  said  Bartold,  "  is  to  de- 
cide, with  the  meagre  information  we  possess.  One 
cannot  foresee  how  things  will  turn  out.  We  must 
wait.  I  wish,  like  Jacob,  to  follow  the  right,  but  on 
condition  that  it  does  not  lead  to  a  precipice ;  I  ad- 
mit the  necessity  of  sacrifices  when  something  is 
gained  thereby,  but  I  do  not  approve  of  useless  sac- 
rifices." 

"  All  sacrifice  bears  its  fruit  sooner  or  later,"  re- 
plied Jacob. 

"  You  return  to  your  mysticisms.  Our  debate  is 
ended." 

"  Result :  nothing,  as  usual,"  concluded  Simon. 

"  One  word  more,"  said  Mann.  "  It  has  been 
said  that  we  cannot  foresee  how  events  will  terminate. 
Some  one  of  us  should  seek  admittance  to  the  revolu- 


292  THE    JEW. 

tionary  meetings  and  observe  what  is  going  on ;  that 
may  enlighten  us.  Prudence  dictates  this  precaution. 
Jacob,  will  you  undertake  it?  " 

"  No,  Monsieur  Mann.  I  am  not  a  revolutionist, 
and  I  refuse  to  lend  myself  to  the  role  of  a  spy  even 
for  our  cause." 

"  What  delicate  susceptibility  !  We  will  send  some 
one  in  your  place." 

Mann  sputtered  wrathfully,  and  continued  :  — 

"  Thus  we  shall  be  informed  of  the  actions  of  the 
revolutionary  party,  and  if  anything  important  occurs, 
my  house  is  always  at  your  service  for  meetings." 

"  The  Bourse,  the  Bourse ;  it  is  the  hour  !  "  cried 
several  voices.     And  they  all  hastened  away. 


REUNION   OF    THE   NOBLES.  293 


CHAPTER     XVII. 

REUNION    OF   THE   NOBLES. 

Jacob,  impressed  by  Gromofs  words,  sought  an  in- 
terview with  Kruder  or  Ivas.  The  first  was  out,  and 
the  second  he  could  not  find.  Returning  from  his 
search  he  learned  that  the  people  were  assembled  for 
the  funerals  of  the  previous  night's  victims.  An  irre- 
sistible impulse  seized  him,  and  he  arrived,  he  hardly 
knew  how,  at  the  spot  where  the  five  victims  had 
fallen.  The  place,  after  the  murder,  had  been  com- 
pletely deserted.  In  the  souls  of  the  people  surged 
an  exaltation,  a  virility,  a  confidence  which  only  de- 
manded a  signal  of  authority  to  become  a  revolution. 
They  had  lacked  arms,  but  they  had  torn  them  from 
the  Russian  troops. 

Soldiers  and  officers  seemed  ashamed  of  the  attack. 
The  government  itself,  after  so  cold-blooded  an  act, 
hesitated.  Orders  were  received  from  Petersburg  to 
display  a  pitiless  firmness,  but  they  dared  not  execute 
them.  It  almost  seemed  as  if  remorse  had  overtaken 
the  representatives  of  the  Czar  at  Warsaw.  Was  it 
really  remorse  ?     No,  it  was  rather  a  ruse. 

Clubs  gathered  in  the  open  air  and  met  everywhere 
without  being  disturbed  by  the  police.  For  the  first 
time  in  Poland  they  enjoyed  under  Muscovite  rule  a 


294  the  y£iv- 

semblance  of  liberty.  The  capital  was  under  the  con- 
trol of  its  inhabitants ;  in  the  circle  of  commerce  del- 
egates were  chosen,  whose  duty  was  to  present  to 
Prince  Gortchakof,  Namiestnik  of  the  kingdom,  the 
will  of  the  people.  This  removal  of  the  yoke  of  the 
oppressor  lasted  for  several  days,  —  from  March  to 
April.  Sad  as  its  beginning  had  been,  the  nation 
breathed  ;  she  was  free  for  the  moment. 

Those  who  took  part  in  the  deeds  of  these  days 
guard  them  in  their  memory  as  the  most  memorable 
episode  of  their  lives.  I  doubt  if  it  has  ever  been 
given  a  man  to  see  twice,  anything  as  imposing. 

Jacob  walked  about  the  city,  his  heart  filled  with 
sweet  emotions ;  a  single  thought  occupied  him,  that 
of  the  fusion  of  the  Israelites  with  the  rest  of  the 
nation.  The  hour  was  propitious,  the  moment  was 
decisive.  In  spite  of  little  sympathy  for  Mann, 
he  realized  that  he  could  undertake  nothing  without 
his  influence.  Mann  had  not  been  chosen  a  dele- 
gate, for  the  Jews  were  represented  to  their  satisfac- 
tion, in  the  person  of  the  wealthy  and  honourable 
Matthieu  Rosen,  a  man  of  rare  merit.  He  urged 
his  people  and  their  rabbis  to  join  in  the  patriotic 
movement,  for  by  that  means  they  would  share  in  a 
union  of  sentiments  and  aspirations  with  the  Chris- 
tian population  and  their  clergy.  A  similar  union 
had  occurred  in  1848,  at  Cracow.  At  that  time  the 
coffins  of  the  massacred  Jews  were  stationed  before 
the  church  of  Sainte  Marie.  At  present  they  must 
guard  against  the  pride  and  fanaticism  of  the  Chris- 


REUNION    OF    THE    NOBLES.  295 

tians  on  one  side,  and  the  narrow-minded  selfishness 
of  the  Jews  on  the  other.  Jacob  hastened  to  consult 
Mann  on  this  subject,  but  found  him  absent.  But  the 
young  man's  wishes,  expressed  at  the  late  council  of 
his  brethren,  were  soon  realized  by  an  administrative 
decree. 

Jacob  went  to  see  the  delegates,  who  in  the  silence 
of  the  night  were  occupied  arranging  for  the  funerals. 
They  had  at  this  time  all  authority  concentrated 
in  their  hands.  The  Jew  foresaw  how  fleeting  this 
authority  would  be.  These  men  were  honest,  but 
without  the  energy  required  for  such  a  crisis,  and 
they  would  in  a  short  time  lose  their  wits  and  abdi- 
cate the  popular  sovereignty  confided  to  their  keep- 
ing. 

The  funeral  details  were  arranged.  Even  the  most 
intolerant  of  the  Christians  felt  the  necessity,  in  spite 
of  their  prejudices,  of  uniting  for  the  time  being  with 
the  Jews  in  perfect  fraternity.  Jacob  passed  a  sleep- 
less night  on  one  of  the  benches  of  the  assembly 
room.  At  daybreak  he  again  hastened  to  Mann's 
house.  He  found  him  a  little  irritated  that  the  pop- 
ular vote  had  preferred  Rosen  to  himself,  and  he  had 
retired  like  Achilles  to  his  tent.  The  pompous  old 
fellow  was  awake  and  already  surrounded  with  visitors^ 
although  he  had  not  finished  his  toilet.  Booted,  but 
in  his  shirt,  he  presented  a  laughable  spectacle  on 
account  of  his  extreme  corpulence.  He,  no  doubt, 
noticed  this  himself,  for  he  interrupted  himself  in  the 
middle  of  a  heated   harangue,  to  which   his  visitors 


296  THE    JEW. 

listened  respectfully,  to  throw    over  his  shoulders  a 
cotton  dressing-gown. 

"  Ah  ! "  said  he,  "  our  friends  the  nobles  have 
become,  then,  meek  as  lambs.  It  is  they  who  first  ask 
to  embrace  us.  One  sees  that  they  know  the  pro- 
verb, — 

'  Dans  l'embarras 
Va  chez  Judas.' 

It    is    for    us    to    remember    the    other    part    of    the 
verse  :  — 

'  Plus  d'embarras 
Va  t'en,  Judas.'  " 

•'  The  harmony  is  well  established,"  said  Bartold. 
"  It  is  sincere  ;  we  must  take  advantage  of  it." 

"  No  ;  it  is  not  peace,  it  is  only  a  truce.  The  Agricul 
tural  Society,  representative  of  the  nobles,  continues  to 
repulse  us.  Its  secretary  has  sent  Matthieu  Rosen  a 
letter,  which  leaves  no  doubt  of  their  malevolence  to- 
wards us.  They  wish,  they  say,  that  we  should  merit 
our  right  as  citizens,  as  if  we  had  not  deserved  that 
title  since  we  were  established  on  Polish  soil.  Feu- 
dalists, ultramontanes,  fanatics,  they  desire  war;  let 
them  go  to  the  war,  then.  Let  us  not  mix  with  them. 
Every  one  to  his  own  interest." 

Thus  spake  the  fiery  Achilles,  Mann,  whom  Henri 
Segel  tried  to  calm. 

"  You  must  admit,  however,"  said  he,  "  that  Mat- 
thieu Rosen,  though  treated  with  little  consideration 
by  the  secretary  of  the  Agricultural  Society,  has  been 


REUNION    OF    THE    NOBLES. 


297 


named  a  delegate.  Let  us  strike  while  the  iron  is 
hot." 

"  From  this  iron  there  can  only  come  new  chains 
for  us,"  said  Mann.  "  They  are  incorrigible,  these 
nobles,  eaten  up  by  pride  of  long  descent.  We  shall 
have  conciliations  when  Dumah  has  thrown  them  all 
into  hell ;  not  before." 

"  The  Russian  government  agrees  with  you  there," 
remarked  Bartold ;  "  but  the  nobility  is  capable  of 
regeneration,  of  amending.  They  commence  to  un- 
derstand their  interests  better,  and  if  they  hold  out 
their  hands  to  us,- we  should  not  refuse  them." 

"  No  !  the  nobles  are  blind  !  "  cried  Mann,  in  a  loud 
voice.  "  Give  up  all  thoughts  of  alliance  with  them. 
What  matters  it  to  us  what  happens  to  them  ?  " 

"If  we  keep  aloof  now,"  said  Jacob,  "it  is  the 
same  as  taking  sides  with  the  Russians.  Let  us  go, 
my  friends ;  when  we  are  called  in  the  spirit  of  sac- 
rifice, the  cause  of  the  weak  and  the  oppressed  ought 
to  be  ours." 

"  It  is  utterly  useless  to  reason  with  you,  dear  Jacob. 
Men  of  your  stamp  go  to  their  ruin  and  perish.  I 
will  not  oppose  you,  though  I  deplore  your  fate.  As 
for  the  mass  of  our  people,  they  should  look  out  for 
their  own  interests  and  for  the  country." 

"  Let  the  majority  remain  conservative,  but  not  for 
that  alone  ;  they  should  escape  death  in  order  to  con- 
sole and  succour  those  who  survive  the  catastrophe." 

"  There  will  be  time  enough  to  speak  of  that,"  said 
Mann,  with  a  disdainful  gesture. 


298  THE    JEW. 

"  It  is  probable,"  replied  Bartold,  "  that  the  burial 
of  the  victims  of  yesterday  will  be  a  European  mani- 
festation of  the  regeneration  of  Poland.  Ought  we 
to  be  indifferent  lookers  on?  to  take  no  part  ostensi- 
bly in  the  procession  ?  in  a  word,  to  wash  our  hands 
of  it  all?" 

"This  burial  does  not  concern  us,"  cried  Mann. 
"  None  of  our  people  have  been  killed.  Why  should 
we  thrust  ourselves  into  the  quarrel?  " 

"  It  is  not  merely  a  burial,  it  is  a  grand  political 
manifestation,"  said  Jacob.  "  Before  those  coffins 
there  will  be  a  national  appeal  for  vengeance  against 
the  assassins  ;  and  we"  — 

"  We  ?  Let  it  suffice  us  to  behold  from  afar  that 
manifestation  !  And  you,  Jacob,  who  preach  with  so 
much  warmth  a  good  understanding  with  the  Chris- 
tians, as  you  are  at  the  same  time  a  fervent  and 
orthodox  Jew,  you  cannot  ask  us  to  march  behind 
the  coffins,  side  by  side  with  the  Christian  clergy. 
That  would  be  breaking  one  of  our  laws,  which  com- 
mands all  kohen  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  bodies  of 
the  dead.  How  much  worse  the  impure  corpses  of 
men  of  another  belief,  another  race." 

"  I  know  well  that  the  kohenin  ought  to  abandon 
even  their  dying  wives,  if  they  are  not  of  Jewish 
origin.  Their  contact  becomes  impure.  But  I  also 
know  that  the  law,  formerly  so  vigorous,  and  not 
without  a  wise  motive,  is  indulgent  under  ex- 
ceptional circumstances.  A  kohen  who,  in  order 
to   accomplish  a   good   deed,   touches   a   corpse  is. 


REUNION    OF    THE    NOBLES.  299 

according   to   the    conclusion    of  all    rabbis,  exempt 
from   sin." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  can  be  the  opinion  of  all  the 
rabbis.     However,  we  can  easily  ascertain." 

By  a  strange  coincidence,  the  door  opened  and  ad- 
mitted a  dignified  old  man  with  a  long  white  beard,  clad 
in  the  ancieftt  costume  of  a  Polish  Jew.  All  saluted  him 
respectfully.  He  was  a  rabbi,  generally  esteemed  for 
his  learning  and  his  honourable  and  upright  charac- 
ter. His  face  denoted  the  serenity  of  a  soul  un- 
troubled by  terrestrial  cares. 

Mann  hastened  to  repeat  what  he  had  said  to 
Jacob,  and,  wishing  above  all  to  have  the  approbation 
of  the  rabbi  for  his  doctrine  of  hatred  and  vengeance, 
he  added  :  — 

"  Ought  we  to  forgive  the  nobles  ?  Ought  we  to 
overlook  the  evils  done  us  by  them  ?  The  justice  of 
God  is  implacable,  and  the  hour  approaches  when  we 
shall  be  avenged  upon  our  secular  oppressors." 

The  old  man  listened  attentively,  then  replied 
slowly  and  solemnly  :  — 

"  The  Rabbi  Ichochua  ben  Levi  had  for  a  neigh- 
bour a  Sadducee,  who  had  insulted  him  in  many  ways. 
Weary  of  enduring  these  affronts,  he  resolved  to  pray 
to  God  for  vengeance.  As  he  was  preparing  to  go  to 
the  temple  to  accomplish  his  design,  he  was  over- 
come by  a  profound  slumber.  On  awakening,  he 
said  :  '  The  sweet  sleep  into  which  God  plunged  me 
so  suddenly  is  a  warning  from  on  high ;  a  just  man 
never  invokes  divine  vengeance  against  his  enemies.'  " 


300  THE    JEW. 

Then  the  venerable  man  arose,  bowed,  and  went 
out.  Mann  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  was  silent. 
His  guests,  most  of  whom  were  not  very  devout,  took 
their  hats,  considering  the  question  decided  by  the 
text  of  the  law.  In  the  Talmud,  as  in  books  of  a 
character  still  more  sacred,  each  interprets  as  he 
wishes.  The  passage  proved  Jacob  in  tl^e  right,  but 
could  have  been  perhaps  contradicted  by  another 
passage  which  would  put  him  in  the  wrong.  Mann, 
fortunately,  was  not  sufficiently  familiar  with  the 
literature  of  Judaism  to  recall  a  text  adapted  to  his 
argument.  Jacob,  triumphant,  rapidly  followed  the 
rabbi,  and  kissed  his  hand  with  gratitude. 

He  returned  to  the  city,  where  he  found  that  there 
had  been  a  change  in  favour  of  the  Jews.  Their 
adversaries  were  silent,  and  public  opinion  approved 
their  admittance  on  a  fraternal  footing,  although  the 
nobles  still  opposed  it.  Twenty- four  hours  had  suf- 
ficed not  to  efface,  but  to  mask,  the  prejudices  of  both 
parties, — prejudices  of  which  they  were  ashamed,  and 
which  they  concealed  in  an  obscure  corner  of  the  soul 
and  dared  no  longer  show  in  daylight. 

The  nobles  were  not  in  perfect  harmony  even  with 
each  other.  Like  the  Jews,  they  held  diverse  opinions. 
Those  among  them  who  were  the  most  obstinate  were 
those  who  were  not  well  informed  as  to  the  actual 
situation,  who  had  learned  nothing,  forgotten  nothing, 
and  who  had  intrenched  themselves  in  an  exclusive 
adherence  and  devotion  to  the  past.  These  were 
called  on   the  streets  ultramontanes,  on  account   of 


REUNION   OF    THE   NOBLES.  301 

their  importation  of  foreign  Catholicism, — a  Catholicism 
which  was  monarchical  and  legitimist,  an  enemy  of 
progress.  Essentially  different  was  it  from  Polish 
Catholicism,  which  was  conciliatory  toward  republican 
ideas,  but  did  not  take  sides  with  either  party,  and, 
with  Copernicus,  had  left  its  luminous  traces  in  the 
ascendant  march  of  humanity. 

This  group  was  Polish  in  its  own  way,  perhaps  by  its 
attachment  to  the  privileges  of  the  nobility  ;  but  it  was 
by  no  means  patriotic  in  its  alliance  in  heart  or  spirit 
with  the  political  reaction  in  Europe,  which  weighed 
so  heavily  on  Poland. 

It  was  not  easy  to  be  conservative  in  Poland.  It 
was  to  condemn  one's  self  to  incessant  contradictions 
of  conscience  and  of  conduct.  How  can  one  be  at  the 
same  time  a  patriot,  and  submit  to  a  foreign  yoke  ? 
to  be  a  Catholic,  and  prostrate  one's  self  before  a  for- 
eign authority  which  persecuted  Catholicism  ?  Weary 
of  conflict,  the  conservative  finishes  by  thinking  only 
of  saving  his  fortune  and  his  social  position,  and  pays 
no  attention  to  the  rest. 

Jacob,  in  wandering  over  the  city  from  house  to 
house,  with  the  familiarity  which  always  prevails  in 
times  of  revolution,  entered  a  circle  of  ultramontanes. 
The  master  of  the  house,  who  was  seated  in  an  easy- 
chair,  which  he  never  quitted  on  account  of  an  incura- 
ble malady,  had  still  more  nerve  and  energy  than  most 
of  the  visitors  assembled  in  his  rooms.  Here  were 
genuine  counts,  specimens  of  the  ancient  aristocracy 
of  orthodox    Catholicism,    and    many   young   nobles 


302  THE    JEW. 

fresh  from  the  Jesuit  colleges  of  Belgium  and  Bavaria. 
Among  all  these  the  most  remarkable  was  a  man  of 
gigantic  height,  of  irreproachable  character,  of  rare 
eloquence,  who,  on  account  of  his  habit  of  repeating 
the  popular  proverb,  Jak  Boga  Kocham  (as  true  as 
that  I  love  God),  had  received  the  not  very  euphonious 
sobriquet  of  Boakoam. 

He  was  a  descendant  of  a  very  aristocratic  family, 
deprived  of  its  former  splendour  by  the  prodigality  of 
its  ancestors.  He  lived  ordinarily  in  the  country  on 
a  small  estate,  all  that  remained  of  his  fortune. 

The  conversation  was  on  the  events  of  the  day,  and 
the  social  equality  accorded  to  the  Israelites. 

"  In  a  hundred  years,"  said  Boakoam,  "  the  Counts 
Z.,  P.,  and  B.  will  have  become  coachmen,  and  their 
palaces  will  have  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  R.'s, 
the  K.'s,  and  the  E.'s." 

"  It  is  possible,"  replied  the  master  of  the  house, 
who  belonged  to  one  of  the  families  designated ; 
"  above  all,  if  we  make  many  more  false  steps  like  this 
one.  It  will  be  our  own  fault.  We  shall  foolishly 
ruin  ourselves.  We  have  an  aversion  to  work,  while 
the  Jews  are  economical,  laborious,  and  persevering." 

"  Thus,  that  the  Jews  may  not  devour  us,  my  dear 
count,  you  wish  we  may  be  transformed  into  Jews. 
Pretty  advice  !  If  we  must  perish,  let  us  perish  at 
least  as  we  are.  Experience  has  demonstrated  to  us 
our  inaptitude  as  financiers.  To  what  end  have  come 
our  navigation  companies,  or  our  industrial  or  com- 
mercial associations  ?     We  have  lost  money  on  all  our 


REUNION    OF    THE   NOBLES. 


undertakings.  Distasteful  as  it  is  to  admit,  I  must 
confess  that  we  have  arrived  at  a  point  of  irresistible 
decadence.  We  have  organic  vices,  we  have  attained 
the  height  of  moral  weakness.  I  would,  nevertheless, 
like  to  believe  that  we  shall  yet  regain  our  old-time 
vigour." 

"To  rise  again,"  said  a  country  gentleman,  "we 
must  have  several  chiefs,  several  guides  in  whom  we 
can  place  confidence,  as  in  you,  Monsieur  le  Comte." 

"You  could  not  have  a  better  chief  than  Count 
Andre"  Zamoyski,  whose  name  is  on  every  lip.  Virtue, 
reason,  grandeur  of  soul,  patriotism,  all  these  qualities 
he  possesses." 

"  Certainly  Count  Andr£  is  the  right  man,  he  is 
honourable  and  worthy ;  but  let  us  talk  no  more  of 
politics  just  now,"  said  Boakoam. 

"  God  preserve  us  from  this  mania  of  politics,  un- 
reasonable and  inopportune  !  We  can  gain  nothing  by 
it,  and  it  has  already  been  the  cause  of  many  evils. 
True  politics  are  agriculture,  science,  economy,  and 
the  amelioration  of  morals." 

"  You  are  right,  Monsieur  le  Comte,"  said  a  listener. 
"  But  what  is  to  be  done  when,  in  spite  of  ourselves, 
the  youth  and  the  city  rise  in  arms  and  draw  us  in? " 

"  Youth  has  courage  and  action.  Imitate  them.  If 
you  do  not  wish  a  revolution,  proclaim  it  loudly ;  not 
in  any  half  way.  I  understand  perfectly  the  blind  but 
heroic  ardour  of  these  young  men  who  offer  their  blood 
for  their  country.  It  is  necessary  that  we  have  equal 
energy  to  arrest  this  patriotic  uprising,  that  we  do  not 


304  THE    JEW. 

give  them  encouragement  by  our  inertia,  our  weak- 
ness." 

"Then  we  are  lost,"  cried  a  voice. 

"  Oh,  not  when  we  have  just  concluded  an  alliance 
with  the  Jews  !  "  replied  Boakoam.  "  The  Jews  will 
certainly  save  us." 

This  pleasantry  caused  a  ripple  of  laughter. 

"  That  which  is  certain,"  gravely  replied  the  invalid, 
"  is  that  they  have  more  sense  than  we.  They  have 
proved  it." 

"  They  will  not  lend  us  their  good  sense  as  they 
have  loaned  us  their  money,"  remarked  Boakoam. 
"  They  know  that  it  is  a  capital  which  we  lack,  and  on 
which  we  could  not  pay  them  interest." 

"Where  is  the  time  when  we  did  not  know  the  Jews 
save  as  stewards  and  brokers  !  One  could  then  pluck 
the  extortioner  by  the  beard." 

"Those  times,  alas  !  will  never  return,"  said  one  of 
the  company  in  a  sad  voice. 

"The  world  is  degenerating,"  added  another. 

"  Have  you  remarked,  gentlemen,"  said  a  solemn 
personage  with  black  hair  and  the  Oriental  type, "  that 
everything  is  being  gradually  monopolized  by  the  Is- 
raelites? They  are  the  masters  of  the  Bourse.  Now 
the  Bourse  directs  the  world  and  governs  the  State. 
Without  it,  no  loans  and  no  wars.  They  manage  public 
opinion  through  the  press,  the  principal  "organs  of 
which  belong  to  them.  In  Prussia,  in  the  rest  of  Ger- 
many, and  in  Belgium,  journalism  is  in  their  hands. 
In  France  every  newspaper  has  one  or  more  Jews  con- 


REUNION    OF    THE   NOBLES. 


305 


nected  with  it.  Many  have  seats  in  Parliament  and 
the  German  Reichstag.  Some  are  ministers  or  ambas- 
sadors." 

"  The  reason  is  easily  to  be  seen,"  replied  Boakoam. 
"The  Polish  nobles  could  not  exist  without  Jewish 
factors,  and  took  them  everywhere  with  them  on  their 
travels.  Europe  is  like  us,  morally  and  physically 
declined ;  the  governments  are  in  decadence,  and  the 
factors  do  as  they  like." 

"French  masonry,"  added  the  country  gentleman, 
"and  democracy  have  the  Jews  for  their  firm  sup- 
porters." 

"  But  that  does  not  agree  with  the  Bourse,  whose 
principals  are  far  from  revolutionary,"  objected  some 
one. 

"They  are,"  replied  the  gentleman,  "both  liberals 
and  conservatives,  but  only  in  a  measure.  Liberals 
when  they  wish  to  undermine  Catholicism,  and  conserv- 
atives when  they  have  other  ends  to  serve  ;  but  when 
it  is  a  question  of  war,  they  are  always  conservatives, 
for  they  do  not  wish  war  at  any  price." 

"  Never,"  said  Boakoam,  "  shall  we  be  able  to  get 
rid  of  the  Jews,  and  they  will  yet  ruin  us." 

"  If  one  is  ruined  it  is  usually  his  own  fault,"  re- 
plied his  friend. 

"True.  But  how  can  we  change  now?  We,  who 
are  accustomed  to  a  life  of  ease  and  to  liberty  of 
action,  is  it  possible  for  us  to  become  tradesmen  ? 
The  Jews  understand  business,  have  money,  skill,  and 
avarice.     And  we  ?     Nothing  !  " 


306  THE    JEW. 

"Let  us  try  to  acquire  these  qualities." 

"  How  can  we  ?  The  government  oppresses  us  and 
seeks  to  crush  us  out  of  existence.  We  are  weakened 
by  this  cruel  oppression ;  where  can  we  find  strength 
for  the  struggle?  " 

"  In  a  sentiment  of  duty." 

"  Too  late  to  lift  the  burden  now.  I  know  not  if 
the  Finis  Poloniae  will  be  accomplished,  but  the  end 
of  the  Polish  nobility  is  certain.  I  am  afraid  that  we 
are  doomed." 

"  Listen  to  me,  messieurs,"  said  the  master  of  the 
house  solemnly.  "  I  have  not  long  to  live.  Every 
day  death  draws  nearer  to  me,  as  you  perceive.  As 
the  time  to  leave  the  world  approaches,  a  man  does 
not  lie.  Well,  on  the  border  of  the  tomb  I  adjure  you 
not  to  lose  faith  in  yourselves,  for  you  who  prophesy 
your  own  fall  are  the  ones  who  hasten  it.  What  have 
the  nobles  done  since  1 791  ?  Where  are  their  labours, 
their  efforts,  their  sacrifices?  Behold  them  un- 
balanced, their  fortunes,  activity,  existence,  entirely 
and  foolishly  dissipated  in  libertinage  and  idleness. 
Immutable  laws  regulate  everything  in  nature.  Once 
withered,  the  leaf  falls ;  once  unfaithful  to  its  mission, 
every  class  of  society  is  condemned  to  disappear.  If, 
as  you  predict,  the  Jews  are  destined  to  supersede  us, 
it  will  be  owing  to  our  improvidence  and  their 
superior   virtue." 

"  Frightful  perspective  !  "  cried  the  country  gentle- 
man piteously.  "  Do  you  say  that  my  son  may  perhaps 
become  steward  for  a  Kronenberg  or  a  Rosen?  " 


REUNION   OF   THE   NOBLES.  307 

"Perhaps  he  would  be  lucky  to  get  that  position. 
If  I  were  a  Kronenberg  or  a  Rosen  I  would  not  think 
of  employing  so  incapable  a  steward  as  your  son." 

Boakoam  put  an  end  to  the  conversation  by  this 
sally,  which  was  a  little  brutal.  Jacob,  unable  to 
contain  himself  longer,  believed  it  a  duty  to  reveal 
his  identity. 

"  Messieurs,"  said  he,  "  pardon  me  for  interrupting 
this  discussion,  but  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  confess  that  I 
am  a  Jew." 

All  eyes  were  turned  toward  him  in  astonishment. 
The  least  surprised  was  Boakoam  and  their  host. 
The  former  burst  out  laughing,  and  cried  :  — 

"  In  that  case,  my  dear  sir,  you  have  heard  many 
curious  things  about  your  race." 

"  Very  curious,  and  I  shall  profit  by  them.  As  for 
your  pleasantries,  they  have  not  wounded  me.  I 
could  form  some  idea  of  how  you  spoke  of  us,  by  the 
way  that  we  speak  of  you  at  our  meetings.  For  com- 
pensation, you  have  finished  by  praising  our  qualities 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  me  very  grateful.  But 
your  praises  are  more  than  we  deserve.  If  we  pos- 
sess some  good  qualities,  we  have  also  many  faults, 
and  I  ought  to  acknowledge  them.  This  alliance 
with  us  seems  repugnant  to  you  j  but,  believe  me,  it 
will  be  for  your  advantage  in  the  end.  It  is  repug- 
nant to  you  because,  as  some  one  here  has  said,  we 
smell  of  garlic  and  old  clothes ;  but  just  now  you  can- 
not have  too  many  friends  and  allies." 

"  As  true  as  I  love  God,"  cried  Boakoam,  "  your 


3o8  THE    JEW. 

morals  are  golden.  But  I  do  not  believe  that  we  can 
trust  in  your  friendship.  You  will  be  with  us  as  long 
as  we  are  standing,  but  you  will  go  over  to  the  enemy 
when  we  fall.  You  will  then  feel  only  contempt  for 
us,  and  the  thirst  for  vengeance  will  awaken  in  your 
hearts." 

"  Never  !  I  promise  it  in  my  name,  and  in  the 
names  of  those  who  think  as  I  do.  We  will  remain 
united  in  misfortune  as  in  fortune." 

"  So  as  to  profit  equally  by  our  success  or  our  mis- 
fortunes? I  am  frank,  and  now  that  we  are  on  this 
subject,  permit  me  to  finish.  I  am  ready  to  acknowl- 
edge my  fault,  to  avow  all  the  vices  and  all  the  errors 
imputed  to  the  nobles,  but  I  cannot  see  that  your  rich 
men  are  any  better.  You  accuse  us  of  foolish  vanity 
and  aristocratic  pride ;  your  bankers  have  as  much. 
The  Count  Andr<§,  who  comes  from  a  long  line  of 
illustrious  ancestors,  is  much  more  polite,  more  affa- 
ble, more  simple,  than"  — 

"I  do  not  deny  it.  Money  often  renders  men 
impertinent.  I  have  only  one  excuse  to  offer  for  my 
co-religionists :  it  is,  that  repulsed  by  the  elegant 
society,  overwhelmed  with  sarcasm,  we  have  not  had 
the  opportunity  to  profit  by  the  same  schooling  as 
yourselves.  You  must  civilize  us  by  your  good  exam- 
ples." 

"  Hear  !  Hear  ! "  cried  Boakoam.  "  We  'will  teach 
you  our  refined  manners  in  return  for  your  practical 
spirit." 

"  I  consent,"  replied  Jacob  smiling.     "  One  word 


REUNION    OF    THE    NOBLES. 


309 


more ;  you  have  alluded  to  some  of  us  as  rude  and 
having  repulsive  manners.  Very  well;  even  among 
these  men,  vain,  proud,  and  gross,  there  are  some 
who  are  benevolent ;  though  their  appearance  does 
not  indicate  it.  I  have  not  finished.  In  the  pres- 
ence of  the  representatives  of  the  past  I  know  not 
whether  I  shall  be  permitted  to  express  my  ideas. 
Behold  them,  if  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  listen. 
Humanity  will  not  retrograde.  She  has  ceased  to  be 
led  by  a  privileged  class ;  she  feels  her  strength  and 
will  walk  alone.  The  feudal  privileges  are  dead,  very 
dead." 

"You  avow,  however,"  said  the  dark  man  with 
Oriental  features,  "  that  society,  freed  from  privileges 
and  belonging  to  itself,  will  still  admit  a  certain  divi- 
sion of  classes." 

"  Yes ;  but  admittance  to  these  classes  will  be  given 
by  personal  merit,  and  not  by  birth." 

"  Then  we  shall  all  be  in  the  same  boat,"  cried  Boa- 
koam  laughing,  — "  peasants,  Jews,  gypsies,  bourgeoisie, 
pell-mell  with  us  the  fine  flower  of  the  aristocracy." 

"  Modern  theories,  fatal  doctrines  born  of  revolu- 
tionary folly,"  remarked  a  pupil  of  the  Jesuits,  fresh 
from  Belgium.  "  I  believe  neither  in  progress  nor  a 
new  order  of  things.  All  that  I  see  in  this  accursed 
age  is  the  hand  of  God,  which  chastises  us  and 
plunges  us  into  confusion  and  chaos." 

Saying  this  the  disciple  of  Loyola  took  his  depart- 
ure, furious.  Many  followed  his  example,  while 
Jacob  was  making  his  final  remarks  thus :  — 


3io  THE    JEW. 

"  We  are  new  citizens,  but  rest  assured  that  in 
recovering  our  rights  of  citizenship  after  so  long 
ostracism  we  will  not  refuse  the  accompanying 
duties.  If  until  the  present  the  Jew  has  not  consid- 
ered himself  a  Pole,  the  fault  has  not  been  with  him 
nor  with  Poland  herself,  but  with  the  barbarity  of  past 
ages,  to  the  shadows  of  a  prolonged  epoch  of  dark- 
ness. '  Light,  light,  still  more  light ! '  as  said  the 
dying  Goethe,  and  the  world  will  move  on  in  the 
sight  of  God." 

"  As  true  as  I  love  God,"  said  Boakoam,  "  these 
are  holy  words.  And  I  must  save  myself,  for  my  con- 
fessor would  refuse  absolution  because  I  had  dealings 
with  the  Old  Testament,  in  the  absence  of  the  New. 
Good- evening." 


THE   COUNTRY  WILLS  IT.  31  Y 


CHAPTER     XVIII. 

THE    COUNTRY    WILLS    IT. 

Events  precipitated  themselves  with  frightful  rapid- 
ity. Veiled  promises  and  secret  encouragements  on 
the  part  of  Napoleon  III.  contributed  largely  to  the 
development  of  an  insurrection  whose  instigators 
were  too  confident  in  the  diplomatic  intervention  of 
France,  England,  and  Austria.  A  bitter  disappoint- 
ment was  the  result,  as  we  know.  A  brutal  reply 
from  the  Russian  government  sufficed  to  make 
Europe  fall  back,  and  rendered  harder  than  ever  the 
fate  of  Poland. 

At  the  point  whither  our  story  has  carried  us,  all 
hope  of  preventing  a  fatal  catastrophe  was  not  lost. 
Several  men  of  influence,  whose  foresight  was  better 
than  that  of  the  foolish  masses,  made  heroic  efforts 
toward  this  end.  Among  these  was  our  Jacob,  whose 
interview  with  Gromof  had  resulted  in  enlightening 
him  as  to  the  fatal  consequences  of  a  premature 
revolution. 

The  most  of  the  Jews  rallied  around  the  Marquis 
Wielopolski,  a  double-faced  man,  half  Russian,  half 
Polish,  with  equivocal  politics.  He  was  clever  in 
appearance,  but  deceitful  at  heart,  and  sought  to 
please  both  sides.     This   policy  was  not  pleasing  to 


312  THE    JEW. 

the  nobles,  whom  he  held  of  little  account ;  it  alienated 
the  ultramontanes,  and  irritated  the  revolutionists, 
whom  he  tried  to  reduce  by  violent  measures.  The 
marquis,  much  more  authoritative  than  liberal,  wished 
to  inaugurate  that  which  he  called  the  legal  progress ; 
but  not  leaning  on  either  party,  he  soon  had  every  one 
against  him.  The  Jews,  however,  sustained  him  for 
some  time  with  ardour  j  but  he  soon  displeased  them, 
like  the  others,  by  an  absolute  want  of  tact  in  his 
conduct  toward  them. 

Men  of  exalted  opinions,  whose  only  wish  was  to 
benefit  humanity,  and  who  desired  to  maintain  a  just 
moderation,  were  alienated  and  were  left  alone. 

Jacob,  although  of  an  entirely  different  character 
from  Wielopolski,  was  equally  unfortunate.  In  his 
political  role  he  was  no  more  successful  than  in  his 
character  of  religious  reformer.  Admitted  to  all  the 
meetings,  he  perceived  that  he  had  no  influence 
whatever. 

He  displeased  the  revolutionists  by  his  wise  warn- 
ings; the  conservatives,  by  his  transports  of  spirit; 
and  the  partisans  of  legal  progress,  by  his  spirit  of  in- 
dependence. He  had  no  communication  with  the 
Russians,  with  the  exception  of  Gromof. 

Among  his  own  people,  Mann  detested  him  because 
he  refused  to  bow  down  to  him  and  admire  him ; 
for  vanity  was  this  individual's  ruling  passion. 

Mathilde's  father  was  devoted  body  and  soul  to  the 
palace  of  Bruhl,  which  was  Wielopolski's  seat,  and  re- 
ceived his  former  pupil  coldly,  for  he  did  not  wish  to 


THE   COUNTRY  WILLS  IT.  313 

be  ranked  under  the  same  banner.  For  the  same 
reason  Henri  Segel,  a  zealous  servant  of  the  marquis, 
looked  on  him  with  pity.  Bartold,  less  servile, 
nevertheless  adhered  to  the  new  regime  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  and  was  surprised  that  Jacob  did  not  fol- 
low his  example.  Ivas,  whose  relations  with  his  friend 
were  growing  cooler,  accidentally  met  him  one  even- 
ing. 

"Jacob,"  said  he,  "the  moment  approaches  when 
the  country  will  need  all  her  children's  services.  I 
was  coming  to  ask  you  to  pay  your  tribute,  and  I  will 
give  you  the  receipt.  You  have  only  to  fix  the  amount 
yourself." 

"  I  do  not  dream  of  refusing  to  make  all  necessary 
sacrifices,"  replied  Jacob  after  a  moment  of  thought. 
"  But  in  giving  I  wish  to  know  why  I  give.  Will  you 
give  me  your  word  of  honour  that  it  is  not  to  aid  the 
revolution?" 

"  It  is  truly  to  buy  arms." 

"  If  it  is  for  that,  I  refuse.  I  am  ready  to  sacrifice 
half,  or  more  than  half,  of  my  fortune  for  Poland,  but 
not  one  cent  to  light  the  torch  of  incendiarism." 

"  Man  of  little  faith  and  frozen  soul,  how  can  you 
be  presumptuous  enough  to  suppose  that  you  can  hin- 
der patriotic  sentiments,  or  strong  enough  to  overthrow 
all  obstacles  !  Am  I  not  right  ?  We  are  sure  of  the 
people ;  we  have  the  Catholic  clergy,  thanks  to  the 
marquis,  who  has  also  reconciled  the  masses ;  and  we 
count  on  the  greater  part  of  the  Israelites.  We  shall 
force  the  nobles  to  come  out  of  their  intrenchments 


314  THE    JEW. 

and  join  us.  In  Russia  the  revolution  ferments. 
Garibaldi  promises  us  champions ;  Hungary,  arms, 
men,  and  money.  Austria  is  a  beneficent  neighbour ; 
and,  to  finish,  France  and  England  will  undoubtedly 
aid  us." 

"  Softly  !  Softly  !  Repeat  your  enumerations  one 
by  one." 

"  If  faith  does  not  exist  in  you  it  is  useless  for  me 
to  talk  further.  I  will  listen  to  nothing.  Will  you 
give  me  the  money?     Yes  or  no." 

"  For  the  revolution,  no." 

"  But  the  necessity  is  urgent,  my  dear  Jacob.  We 
must  have  money  to-day ;  you  cannot  refuse  us." 

*  I  refuse  ;  I  have  said  it." 

"  I  have  been  your  friend  and  defender,  and  I  am 
still ;  but  above  all,  I  am  a  revolutionist.  Do  you 
know  to  what  you  are  exposed  by  your  opinions  ?  To 
death,  perhaps;  certainly  infamy." 

"  Infamy,  never  !  A  man  can  only  render  himself 
infamous ;  others  cannot  imprint  this  stain  upon  him. 
As  for  death,  I  do  not  fear  it.  The  preservation  of 
life  or  of  fortune  by  the  sacrifice  of  profound  convic- 
tions is  unworthy  of  a  true  man,  is  cowardly.  You 
can  obtain  nothing  from  me  by  threats ;  kill  me  if  you 
wish ;  I  firmly  believe  in  the  justice  of  God  and  the 
immortality  of  the  soul.     And  so  I  am  tranquil." 

Ivas  laughed,  and  was  a  little  touched. 

"You  are  a  great  child,  my  dear  Jacob,"  said  he, 
with  an  air  of  compassion.  "  I  pity  you,  for  you  are 
not  a  man  of  this  century.     I   regard   you  as  a  phe- 


THE    COUNTRY   WILLS  IT.  315 

nomenon,  as  a  mortal  who  awakes  after  a  thousand 
years  of  sleep  into  an  epoch  entirely  different  from 
his  own.     Nevertheless,  I  esteem  you." 

Jacob  held  out  his  hand  silently. 

"You  cannot  change  me,"  said  he.  "It  will  be 
useless  for  you  to  try  it.  I  feel  that  the  world  which 
surrounds  me  is  not  with  me ;  however,  as  I  am  here, 
and  I  exist,  it  must  be  with  some  special  design  of 
Providence." 

"  I  return  to  my  pecuniary  wants." 

"Ivas,"  said  Jacob,  "tell  me,  what  sum  do  you  re- 
quire, for  yourself?  " 

"  Nothing  for  myself;  all  for  the  country." 

"  And  it  is  expressly  to  buy  arms?  " 

"  Yes  ;  my  conscience  does  not  permit  me  to  lie." 

"  And  mine  commands  me  to  refuse." 

"You  are  the  first  who  has  refused  me  so  decid- 
edly. Your  conduct  is  a  bad  example.  A  rigorous 
condemnation  awaits  you.  I  leave  you  in  sorrow,  for, 
Jacob,  you  will  die." 

"  I  am  not  at  all  afraid  to  die,  and  your  threat  will 
not  make  me  break  my  word." 

"  I  beg  of  you,  my  friend." 

"  Do  not  supplicate  me  ;  it  is  in  vain.  Tell  me  that 
you  will  use  the  money  to  save  men  pursued  by  the 
Russian  government,  to  facilitate  their  flight,  and  ena- 
ble them  to  live,  and  I  am  ready  to  reduce  myself  to 
poverty  for  that ;  but  for  your  insane  revolution,  not 
a  rouble." 

"  I  do  not  insist,  but "  —* 


316  THE    JEW. 

"Very  well.     Have  you  seen  Gromof  ?  " 

"  Twenty  times." 

"What  have  you  replied  to  his  argument?" 

"  That  he  is  a  Russian ;  consequently,  ardent  in 
words,  and  timid  in  action.  For  the  Russians  the 
opportune  moment  never  arrives.  Their  former  con- 
spiracies were  broken  up  by  a  word  from  Nicholas ;  a 
word  sufficed  to  calm  a  popular  disturbance.  A  weak- 
kneed  race,  they  are  still  as  cowardly  as  then.  I  be- 
lieve Gromof  to  be  an  agent  of  the  police.  He  is 
suspected." 

"  What  he  says  accords  with  the  actual  situation." 

"  I  am  one  of  those,"  said  Ivas,  "  who  will  not 
listen  to  reasoning.  Good  sense,  circumspection,  are 
empty  words  for  us.  Hurrah  for  blessed  exultation  ! 
Hurrah  for  ardour  pushed  almost  to  folly  !  We  will 
march  against  the  troops  with  our  batons,  convinced 
of  being  victorious." 

"  You  are  heroes,"  said  Jacob,  "  and  I  admire  you  ; 
but  have  you  counted  the  cost  ?  How  long  will  this 
exaltation  last  ?  How  many  are  there  that  feel  as  you 
do?" 

"A  hundred,  or  a  million,  what  does  it  matter? 
The  masses  will  follow  us." 

"  The  masses  will  be  reduced  to  a  handful  of  men, 
most  of  them  adventurers  who  will  do  more  harm 
than  good." 

"  Stop,  you  weary  me.  Adieu,  egotist,  I  wash  my 
hands  of  what  will  happen  to  you." 

"  But  before  leaving  in  this  hostile  fashion,  give  me 


THE    COUNTRY   WILLS  IT. 


3*7 


your  hand  as  formerly,  Ivas,  and  may  God's  will  be 
done  !  " 

Ivas  hesitated. 

"  No,"  cried  he.  -"  I  have  ceased  to  be  your  friend, 
and  in  the  future  I  will  be  your  enemy." 

"  Are  you  insane,  Ivas?  " 

"  I  belong  entirely,  body  and  soul,  to  the  cause  of 
the  revolution ;  no  more  friendship.     Good-night." 

"Wait  a  moment." 

"You  will  give  us  the  money?  " 

"  Impossible." 

"  You  persist  in  not  sacrificing  your  personal  feel- 
ings to  the  interest  of  the  country?  " 

"  Not  contrary  to  my  convictions,  my  principles, 
never !  " 

Ivas  was  carried  away  by  his  enthusiasm,  but  was 
at  heart  honest  and  loving.  At  the  threshold  of  the 
door  strong  emotion  seized  him;  he  returned  and 
stood  near  Jacob. 

"After  all,"  said  he  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  "I 
esteem  you.     Let  us  embrace." 

They  threw  themselves  into  each  other's  arms. 

As  he  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  he  said  in  a 
grave  voice  :  — 

"  But  if  to-morrow  I  receive  the  order  to  kill  you 
for  your  disobedience  to  the  revolutionary  committee, 
I  will  come  with  cold  blood  to  stab  you.  The  country 
above  everything." 

"Blind  heroism,  which  I  respect  without  sharing. 
These  are  frightful   times   we   are  living  in.      How 


3i8  THE    JEW. 

horrible  is  the  regime  which  inspires  hatred,  and 
familiarizes  honest  souls  with  crime,  and  transforms 
an  old  friend  into  an  assassin  !  What  will  not  be  the 
responsibility  before  God  of  governments  whose  tyran- 
nous acts  have  engendered  such  despair  !  " 

Ivas,  without  replying,  left  him  with  emotion. 

Jacob  expected  to  receive  on  the  morrow  his  sen- 
tence of  death,  but  it  did  not  arrive  either  that  day 
or  later  on.  Ivas  spoke  on  his  friend's  behalf,  and 
he  was  not  even  declared  a  traitor  to  his  country. 
All  the  revolutionists  there  understood  Ivas,  and 
ceased  to  have  any  relations  with  Jacob,  who  was 
considered  from  that  day  as  a  man  from  whom  the 
revolutionary  party  had  nothing  to  expect. 

All  this  is  true.  The  entire  scene  is  scrupulously  authentic. 
Author's   note. 


A    FATHER'S    GRIEF. 


3*9 


CHAPTER    XIX. 
a  father's  grief. 

Two  days  after  the  dramatic  scene  that  we  have 
just  related  Jacob  was  alone  at  his  house,  when  he 
was  surprised  by  a  visit  from  Jankiel  Meves,  he  who 
had  furnished  Ivas  his  first  shelter.  The  old  man, 
who  appeared  to  be  very  sad,  commenced  by  saying 
that  he  had  profited  by  a  sojourn  in  Warsaw  to  once 
more  see  Jacob,  for  whom  he  had  the  greatest  esteem 
and  whom  he  considered  the  hope  of  Israel.  Then 
he  spoke  of  the  troubles  of  the  country,  and  Jacob 
told  him  of  the  situation,  and  of  his  vain  efforts  to 
restrain  the  impetuous  youth  of  the  city  from  certain 
defeat;  he  added  that  he  was  discouraged,  for  his 
advice  had  been  rejected  with  contempt,  indignation, 
or  rage. 

"  That  is  no  reason,"  replied  the  visitor,  "  for 
abandoning  your  mission  of  peace,  which  is  a  divine 
inspiration.  All  truths,"  added  he,  "  are  at  first 
badly  received  by  men,  but  they  soon  take  root,  and 
often  the  very  ones  that  shrugged  their  shoulders  and 
refused  to  listen  are  the  ones  who  become  the  most 
fervent  converts." 

"Thanks  for  your  consoling  words,"  replied  Jacob  ; 
"you  reawaken  hope  within  my  heart." 


320  THE    JEW. 

"Alas!  I  seek  consolation  from  you,"  cried  Jan- 
kiel;  "I  am  an  unfortunate  father,  a  prey  to  the 
greatest  sorrow.  In  my  house  shame  and  mourning 
are  unwelcome  guests.  A  serpent  has  glided  secretly 
into  my  home,  and  has  left  his  venom." 

"  I  dare  not  ask  you  to  explain  your  words,"  said 
Jacob. 

"  But  I  wish  to  tell  you  all.  It  is  no  secret ;  evil 
is  difficult  to  conceal  when  the  malefactor  is  proud  of 
it.  Of  what  use  to  me  is  the  wealth  that  I  have 
amassed  by  the  sweat  of  my  brow?  To-day  my  most 
cherished  daughter  is  no  more  to  me  than  a  stranger, 
and  Lia  is  dead  to  her  father  !  You  know  the  David 
Seebachs,  father  and  son.  Accursed  house,  where  the 
holy  laws  are  neglected  and  ridiculed  !  Why  has  my 
daughter  looked  towards  that  dwelling?  Would  that 
she  had  died  rather  than  that.  Lia,  my  Lia,  has 
been  seduced  by  the  younger  David,  who  afterward 
abandoned  her  to  her  shame.  And  I  —  I  ought 
to  refuse  her  a  refuge  under  my  roof,  so  that  she  may 
not  contaminate  her  pure  and  innocent  sister,  who 
laments  the  poor  unfortunate  in  the  most  abandoned 
grief.  My  coffers  are  full  of  money,  but  Lia,  perhaps, 
will  be  tortured  with  hunger  !  David  was  married ; 
it  was  not  known,  for  he  lived  apart  from  his  wife. 
You  saw  Lia  when  you  were  at  my  house.  Poor  child, 
she  believed  in  him ;  she  was  beautiful,  but  now  she 
is  a  wreck;  so  young,  what  will  become  of  her?  " 

With  these  words  the  old  man  wept  bitterly,  and 
in  his  despair  tore  his  hair. 


A    FATHER'S    GRIEF.  321 

"  You  are,"  continued  he,  "  honest  and  good ;  do 
not  repulse  me.  Aid  me.  I  am  her  father ;  honour 
demands  that  I  keep  aloof  from  my  fallen  child, —  I 
who  press  the  chaste  lips  of  another  daughter.  My 
heart  is  broken,  and  I  come  to  you." 

"  I  am  at  your  service,"  said  Jacob  gently. 
"Where  is  the  unfortunate?" 

"  Here  in  Warsaw.  But  I  am  not  permitted  to  see 
her;  she  dares  not  appear  before  me.  The  vile 
seducer  has  left  her  dishonoured.  Who  knows  to 
what  degree  of  misery  she  may  fall !  I  have  brought 
money  for  her ;  but,  for  her  as  for  myself,  there  must 
be  silence  as  to  whence  it  comes.  Will  you  take 
charge   of  it?" 

"Certainly.     I  am  at  your  service." 

"  I  have  the  money  with  me.  Take  it  and  procure 
for  her  a  shelter  and  a  tranquil  existence,  where  she 
at  least  can  mourn  in  solitude,  far  from  mocking 
sneers.  Let  her  want  for  nothing.  This  is  the  ser- 
vice I  beg  you  to  do  for  me." 

The  old  man  took  from  his  pocket  a  wallet,  and 
tearing  it  open  with  trembling  hands  placed  on  the 
table  several  bank-notes  of  value,  and  a  piece  of  pa- 
per bearing  in  Hebrew  Lia's  address. 

Then  embracing  Jacob,  "  I  leave  for  home  to-day," 
murmured  he,  his  voice  broken  by  his  sobs.  "  The 
air  of  this  city  oppresses  me.  Write  to  me.  No,  no  ! 
don't  write.  I  will  return.  You  will  tell  me  all.  Save 
her.  The  child  is  weak  and  accustomed  to  tenderness. 
Now  she  must  meet  misery,  labour,  suffering." 


322  THE    JEW. 

"  Cease  from  lacerating  your  heart,"  said  Jacob. 
"Trust  me,  I  will  be  a  faithful  friend." 

"  Do  not  spare  expense,"  cried  the  poor  father. 
Don't  think  of  economy.  I  will  supply  you  with 
more,  but  I  beg  of  you  not  to  let  her  know  where  it 
comes  from ;  rather  let  her  believe  that  distant  rela- 
tives have  aided  her,  that  God  has  touched  their 
hearts  in  her  behalf." 

With  these  words  Jankiel  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven. 
A  passage  of  the  Psalms  came  to  his  mind,  and  he  re- 
cited a  prayer.     Jacob  was  affected  almost  to  tears. 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  confidence,"  said  he.  "  I 
feel  honoured  by  it,  as  you  know  me  so  slightly." 

"I  have  heard  much  good  of  you,"  replied  Jan- 
kiel, "  and  I  was  called  to  open  my  heart  to  you  as 
to  a  compassionate  physician.     Farewell !  " 


MUSE    CULTIVATES    THE  RUSSIANS. 


323 


CHAPTER    XX. 

MUSE    CULTIVATES   THE    RUSSIANS. 

Since  the  evening  when  Jacob  had  shown  himself 
so  much  like  Joseph  in  his  interview  with  Muse,  the 
relations  between  him  and  that  young  lady  had  grad- 
ually cooled.  This  resulted  from  an  understanding 
between  mother  and  daughter.  They  saw  that  his 
capture  was  not  probable,  yet  resolved  not  to  break 
entirely  with  him,  but  to  keep  him  as  a  reserve.  Henri 
Segel,  although  married,  was  much  more  promising. 
Muse  did  not  deceive  herself  as  to  the  nature  of  his 
love  for  her.  It  was  a  love  which  was  not  likely  to 
prove  lasting,  but  often  led,  when  at  its  full  height,  to 
great  follies  Madame  Wtorkowska,  again  unsettled, 
insisted  on  the  necessity  of  enlarging  their  circle  of 
acquaintances,  and  said  to  her  daughter  :  — 

"  These  idiots  do  not  appreciate  you  at  your  true 
value,  and  I  am  inclined  to  seek  acquaintances  among 
the  Russians.  They  love  society,  and  are  better  judges 
of  grace  and  beauty  than  these  foolish  Varsovians. 
Let  us  attract  them  to  us." 

"An  excellent  idea,  mamma.  With  the  Russians 
an  accomplished  woman  endowed  with  talents  is  a 
rarity ;  with  us  she  is  more  common,  and  must  have 
all  kinds  of  accomplishments.     With  a  man  like  Jacob 


324  THE    JEW. 

all  efforts  are  thrown  away.  He  is  an  honest  man,  but 
utterly  insensible.  Why,  I  almost  embraced  Judaism, 
but  that  did  not  melt  him.  This  acting  fatigues  me, 
and  I  have  no  desire  to  prolong  it ;  we  can  never  ob- 
tain anything  from  him ;  never  !  I  proved  it  in  our 
last  interview.  Without  having  any  particular  affection 
for  Henri,  I  avow,  mamma,  that  I  count  on  him.  He 
is  mine.  Mathilde  gets  weaker  every  day.  She  fades 
before  our  very  eyes ;  but  suppose  she  recovers  —  she 
is  no  obstacle.  She  has  no  children.  Divorce  is 
common  with  the  Jews.  Here  is  a  husband  for  me 
worth  having." 

"  My  dear  child,  the  honeymoon  would  be  sweet ; 
but  afterward  would  he  make  you  happy?  He  does 
not  altogether  please  me." 

"  As  for  me,"  said  Muse,  "  I  am  not  afraid.  I 
know  how  to  manage  him ;  and  as  for  Jacob,  he 
wearies  me.     He  is  too  good,  too  pathetic." 

As  the  result  of  this  conversation,  Colonel  Sofronof 
and  the  Major  Ierasimofskoy  were  introduced  into 
the  house  of  Madame  Wtorkowska,  who  essayed  to 
dazzle  them  by  the  elegance  of  her  receptions.  Muse 
captivated  them  both.  Sofronof  fell  seriously  in  love, 
but  as  he  was  a  practical  man,  much  occupied  with 
politics,  he  resolved  to  "  kill  two  birds  with  one 
stone,"  and  find  out  as  much  as  he  could  in  regard  to 
existing  affairs.  He  questioned  Muse  as  to  the  opin- 
ions of  her  friends,  ignorant  that  although  she  culti- 
vated all,  she  had  none.  She  had  adapted  herself  to 
circumstances,  she   had   sung   patriotic   hymns;    but 


MUSE   CULTIVATES    THE  RUSSIANS.      325 

with  the  same  ardour  she  had  learned  the  Russian 
songs  "  Boge  tsara  Khrani  "  ("  May  God  preserve  the 
Tsar")  and  the  "  Red  Sarafane,"  and  on  her  piano  lived 
in  harmony,  Polish  inspirations  and  the  official  composi- 
tions of  Lvof  and  Glinka  to  the  glory  of  holy  Russia. 

The  assiduity  of  the  colonel  led  the  mother  and 
daughter  to  affect  conservative  opinions.  They 
mocked  at  the  revolutionists  and  the  patriots,  and  all 
this  accorded  well  with  their  aristocratic  tone  and 
manner  of  living. 

Sofronof  was  a  man  of  consummate  cunning.  Be- 
fore he  knew  these  ladies  well  he  had  believed  them 
ardent  Poles,  and  was  very  careful  not  to  shock 
the  opinions  which  he  supposed  they  held.  He 
spoke  with  great  respect  of  the  glories  of  ancient 
Poland,  with  pity  of  the  sorrows  of  Poland  of  to- 
day. At  the  beginning  of  his  passion  for  Muse  he 
had  been  tempted,  practical  Russian  as  he  was,  to 
implicate  the  young  lady  in  some  political  intrigue, 
and  to  have  her  imprisoned  for  two  or  three  months 
in  the  citadel.  Then  he  could  pursue  in  the  gloomy 
shadows  of  a  cell  the  first  chapters  of  his  romance. 
The  thing  would  not  be  difficult,  the  arrest  easy ;  he 
had  so  many  friends  in  the  council  of  war.  After 
some  reflection,  however,  he  abandoned  this  fine  proj- 
ect, which  had  already  been  more  than  once  put  in 
execution  by  the  gallant  officers  of  the  Tsar.  Rus- 
sians are  so  eccentric  that  their  love-making  even  is 
somewhat  original. 

After  some  visits  the  colonel  decided  that  he  could 


326  THE    JEW. 

be  frank  in  his  language  with  these  ladies,  without 
danger  of  wounding  their  Polish  susceptibilities. 
Madame  Wtorkowska  spoke  with  enthusiasm  of  the 
reigning  dynasty,  and  was  pleased  to  recall  memories 
of  the  reigns  of  Nicholas  and  of  Alexander  I.,  from 
whom  her  mother,  as  she  said,  had  received  a  present 
of  an  amethyst  necklace.  She  did  not  say  for  what 
service  it  was  given ;  one  could  divine  it.  Muse,  as 
liberal  in  words  as  it  is  permitted  to  be  under  the 
Russian  regime,  approved  the  emancipation  of  the 
serfs,  and  exalted  the  other  reforms  of  Alexander  II. 
Like  her  mother,  she  was  careful  to  condemn  the  rev- 
olutionists. Sofronof  understood,  after  having  listened 
to  these  ladies,  that  the  salon  where  his  good  fortune 
had  led  him  could  easily  become  the  centre  of  an  ac- 
tive political  reaction. 

On  intimate  terms  with  Muse,  a  good  musician  and 
an  ardent  dilettante,  he  pursued  a  plan  of  conduct  in 
which  he  did  not  forget  the  possibility  of  eventual 
marriage.  With  the  usual  blindness  of  men  newly 
arrived  in  a  strange  country,  he  was  thoroughly  de- 
ceived as  to  Madame  Wtorkowska's  social  position. 
Neither  they,  nor  their  manners,  nor  their  borrowed 
elegance  opened  his  eyes  to  their  true  character. 
He  took  for  real  their  false  luxury,  their  pretended 
relations  with  the  great  world.  Yet  he  was  a  little 
surprised,  without  knowing  why,  with  the  silence  and 
the  smiles  that  always  followed  the  name  of  Wtor- 
kowska ;  but  he  attributed  this  to  Polish  malevolence 
at  the  Russian  proclivities  of  the  ladies. 


MUSE   CULTIVATES   THE  RUSSIANS. 


327 


Muse  knew  well  how  to  attract,  encourage,  and  put 
her  visitors  at  ease.  After  each  visit  the  colonel  was 
expected  to  return  the  next  day.  It  was  a  commis- 
sion with  which  he  was  charged,  some  desired  infor- 
mation, or  some  promised  anecdote.  The  mother 
could  not  have  been  more  accommodating.  She 
often  made  the  cares  of  housekeeping  a  pretext  for 
leaving  them  alone,  and  when  she  did  remain,  she 
appeared  a  little  deaf.  Sofronof  was  delighted  with 
her. 

At  the  end  of  some  weeks  he  one  day  found  himself 
alone  with  Muse. 

"  Mademoiselle,"  said  he,  "  pardon  me  if  I  inflict  on 
you  a  serious  conversation,  for  I  wish  to  express  all 
that  is  in  my  heart.  I  wish  to  tell  you  of  an  occupa- 
tion which  absorbs  me.  You  and  madame  your 
mother  can,  I  believe,  have  a  happy  influence  on 
present  events.  Why  not  profit  by  it  ?  The  revolu- 
tion is  imminent.  We  are  here,  yet  we  are,  in  spite 
of  the  military  forces  at  our  disposal,  in  an  almost  un- 
known country,  and  we  are  embarrassed  to  know  the 
right  way  to  maintain  public  order.  You  can  be  of 
great  use  to  us." 

"  How?  "  cried  Muse.     "  We  are  only  women." 

"Women  play  a  primary  role  in  Poland.  They 
are  involved  in  everything." 

"  But  those  are  women  of  the  lower  class,  not  of 
the  higher  order,  the  aristocracy." 

"  Why  should  not  a  woman  of  the  upper  class  who 
has  opinions  suit  herself?  " 


328  THE    JEW. 

"  Women  who  are  comme  il  faut  cannot  compro- 
mise themselves  in  the  streets." 

"  They  can  act  without  leaving  their  homes." 

"  But  why  plunge  us  into  these  political  questions  ?  " 

"  In  ordinary  times  it  would  be  wrong  for  you  to 
take  any  part,  but  in  troubled  periods  like  these  it  is 
your  duty.  The  government  has  the  right  to  ask 
your  aid  for  the  general  good." 

"  And  in  what  way  can  we  be  useful  ?  " 

"  By  enlightening  us  as  to  the  situation.  I  swear 
to  you  that  I  have  the  good  of  the  country  at  heart, 
within  just  limits  and  a  firm  union  with  Russia. 
Unfortunately,  I  and  others  can  find  out  nothing." 

Muse  understood  what  he  wished.  She  blushed  at 
the  suggestion,  but  the  blush  faded  away  rapidly. 
Lending  herself  to  the  colonel's  views  would,  she 
thought,  give  her  great  power.  It  would  raise  her 
great  heights.  Her  imagination  transported  her  al- 
most to  the  steps  of  the  throne,  to  the  imperial  dais. 
She  looked  at  herself  in  the  glass,  and  thought  that 
her  dreams  of  being  at  court  had  now  some  chance 
of  being  realized  ;  and  under  this  impression  she  re- 
plied :  — 

"Dear  colonel,  speak  to  me  with  entire  freedom, 
I  will  listen." 

"  Be  my  counsellor  and  my  guide,"  said  Sofronof. 
"You  have  many  friends.  You  see  much  society. 
Aid  me  to  understand  them ;  walk  with  me  hand  in 
hand." 

Muse  blushed,  but  said  nothing  and  hung  her  head. 


MUSE    CULTIVATES    THE  RUSSIANS.       329 

"  I  do  not  like  politics  and  its  embarrassing  compli- 
cations," said  she.  "  However,  if,  as  you  think,  I  am 
capable  of  making  myself  useful,  I  will  devote  myself 
to  the  work  heart  and  soul.  But  taking  part  in  poli- 
tics is  like  playing  with  fire, —  one  is  often  burned.  In 
my  situation  as  demoiselle,  above  all,  this  occupation 
might  ruin  my  reputation  and  destroy  my  future.  It 
is  so  easy  now- a- days  to  fall  under  suspicion." 

"Why  entertain  such  fears,"  replied  the  colonel 
smiling.  "  You  will  come  to  Petersburg.  There  you 
will  have  the  best  reception.  And  every  man  on 
whom  you  deign  to  throw  a  glance  from  those  irre- 
sistible black  eyes  will  esteem  himself  happy,  no  mat- 
ter how  high  his  rank." 

He  paused ;  the  hidden  meaning  of  his  words  had 
been  rendered  intelligible  to  Muse  by  some  foreign 
overtures.  She  judged  that  it  was  not  worth  while  to 
be  too  particular  at  this  crisis,  and  replied  gayly :  — 

"  Now,  then,  my  dear  colonel,  you  have  not  under- 
stood me.  I  merely  wished  to  say  that  politics  often 
cause  much  trouble." 

Without  further  discussion  they  came  to  an  under- 
standing. 

Some  days  after,  Madame  Wtorkowska's  salon  was 
thrown  open  with  pomp.  The  assembly  was,  indeed, 
a  motley  one,  and  had  been  gathered  from  all 
classes  ;  there  were  all  kinds, —  white,  gray,  red,  blue. 
This  was  according  to  Sofronof  s  advice,  and  in  this 
way  was  formed  a  neutral  ground  whereon  all  might 
meet   on  an  equal   footing.     Jacob   was   there,    and 


330  THE    JEW. 

found  himself  more  of  a  spectator  than  an  actor. 
Since  that  famous  evening  when  Muse  reproduced 
scenes  from  the  Bible,  she  had  been  very  cold  towards 
him.  She  no  longer  invited  him  to  little  games  of 
cards,  she  sent  him  no  more  notes,  and  engaged  him 
for  no  sentimental  promenades.  This  change  suited 
Jacob  better  than  the  attentions  of  former  days. 
Henri  Segel,  also,  was  a  regular  visitor,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  Russians  was  in  his  element ;  he  paid 
court  to  them,  accepted  their  invitations  to  dine, 
and  invited  them  to  his  house.  Mathilde,  who  under 
Jacob's  influence  had  risen  to  a  higher  sphere  intel- 
lectually and  morally,  was  much  disturbed  by  these 
incessant  amusements.  But  her  power  was  very  lim- 
ited, almost  nothing.  Absolute  mistress  of  her  own 
apartment,  surrounded  by  her  flowers  and  books, 
she  lived  a  stranger  in  her  own  house.  Her  husband 
simply  announced  to  her  that  such  guests  would  dine 
with  them  that  day,  and  often  presented  them  to  her 
without  asking  her  consent.  At  table,  the  turn  of  the 
conversation  was  often  displeasing  to  her.  Her  hus- 
band perceived  it,  but  did  not  care. 

Jacob,  absorbed  in  the  political  situation,  came 
rarely,  as  he  was  now  sure  to  meet  the  Russians, 
whose  frequent  appearance  at  Mathilde 's  house  was 
repugnant  to  him.  He  could  not  expect  frankness 
from  them ;  and  he  could  not,  in  his  "turn,  express 
himself  freely  before  them,  and  this  constraint  put  him 
in  a  disagreeable  and  trying  situation. 

Presumption  and  obstinacy  usually  accompanies  a 


MUSE    CULTIVATES    THE  RUSSIANS. 


33* 


civilization  as  imperfect  and  superficial  as  that  of  the 
Russians.  To  appear  progressive  and  liberal,  they 
often,  in  conversation,  express  advanced  ideas  which 
they  do  not  dream  of  putting  in  practice  ;  to  sincer- 
ity they  reply  by  falsehoods. 

Mathilde's  life  became  more  lonely  and  more 
isolated;  she  wasted  away.  Her  cough  increased, 
and  she  was  consumed  with  fever.  She  passed  entire 
days  with  her  music  endeavouring  to  forget  her  weari- 
some life.  This  distraction  weakened  her  strength, 
but  she  refused  to  submit  to  any  treatment.  At  night 
she  read,  creating  thus  an  artificial  imaginary  world. 
Her  only  consolation,  her  only  joy,  was  to  talk  with 
Jacob,  in  whom  alone  she  had  confidence ;  but  he 
liked  to  come  only  when  Henri  and  some  of  his 
new  friends  were  amusing  themselves.  Then  Jacob 
hastened  to  make  a  rapid  examination  of  the  prog- 
ress of  the  malady  which  seemed  to  be  consuming 
the  young  woman,  and  she  looked  attentively  at  him 
to  discover  if  his  brow  was  more  gloomy,  more  care- 
worn. Afterward  they  pressed  each  other's  hands, 
and  separated. 

It  happened  one  evening  at  tea  that  no  one  was 
near  Mathilde  when  Jacob  arrived  but  the  old  Eng- 
lish governess,  who  had  become  a  friend  of  the  house. 
He  found  Madame  Segel  very  much  changed. 

"  How  rarely  you  come,"  cried  Mathilde.  "  I 
know  it  is  not  indifference  on  your  part,  but  if  I  had 
not  perfect  confidence  in  you,  I  should  accuse  Muse 
of  depriving  me  of  your  society." 


332  THE    JEW. 

"  Why  do  you  speak  of  her?  " 

"  Because  it  is  evident  that  she  has  given  entertain- 
ments in  your  honour." 

"In  my  honour  and  in  honour  of  a  dozen 
others ;  Colonel  Sofronof,  and  also  Henri,  your  lord 
and  master." 

"  I  am  not  surprised  that  her  fresh  and  blooming 
beauty  pleases  Henri  more  than  my  pallor  and  fatigue. 
There  he  finds  smiles  and  songs,  here  sighs  and  tears. 
I  do  not  wonder  that  he  prefers  her." 

"  Well,  I  do,"  said  Jacob. 

"  If  he  were  more  devoted,  I  should  reproach  my- 
self for  not  loving  him.  He  is  just  as  I  wish  him  to 
be,  polite,  cold,  and  he  leaves  me  entirely  alone.  It 
is  some  time  now  since  Muse  captivated  him,  but  why 
should  we  care?     What  matters  it  to  us?  " 

"  Henri's  conduct  is  indelicate  "  — 

"What  matters  it,  when  I  do  not  love  him?  " 

Jacob  walked  up  and  down  the  room,  and  then 
stopped  near  Mathilde  and  looked  at  her  fixedly. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  he  ;  "  but  a  wild  idea  has  just 
come  into  my  mind." 

"What  idea?     Tell  me  quickly." 

"Divorce." 

"  No,  no  !  "  cried  she.  "  I  do  not  wish  to  bring 
to  one  whom  I  love  with  all  my  soul  the  miserable 
remains  of  my  life,  a  broken  heart  and  a*  sick  body. 
Your  idea  is  wicked  and  foolish.  We  have  no  right 
to  seek  happiness  through  scandal.  Happiness  gained 
thus  will  soon  cease.     Are  we  not  happy  as  we  are  ? 


MUSE   CULTIVATES    THE  RUSSIANS.      333 

What  more  can  we  wish?  We  can  see  each  other 
often,  talk,  and  press  each  other's  hands,  and  we 
ought  to  be  satisfied.  To  come  nearer  would,  per- 
haps, prove  a  disenchantment  for  us  both.  Let  us 
not  renounce  a  supportable  existence  for  dreams. 
Humiliated,  faded,  and  weak,  I  am  no  longer  the  girl 
you  formerly  loved.  No,  no  !  Jacob,  in  the  name 
of  our  love,  never  mention  that  word  again.  Do  not 
tempt  me ;  do  not  make  me  dream  of  happiness  that 
can  never  be  realized ;  it  is  impossible." 

"The  impossibility  is  only  in  your  imagination. 
The  thing  is  very  feasible,  dear  Mathilde.  What  is 
there  to  bind  you  to  your  husband.  He  is  as  indif- 
ferent to  you  as  you  are  to  him.  You  have  no 
children." 

"  Do  not  make  me  blush,  Jacob.  A  woman  should 
belong  to  but  one  man ;  whatever  be  her  lot,  happy 
or  unhappy,  she  should  submit,  and  be  humble  and 
resigned.  I  cannot  commence  life  over  again,  and, 
moreover,  I  am  standing  on  the  threshold  of  the 
tomb,  while  your  life  has  just  begun." 

"  I  thought  that  you  loved  me,  Mathilde,  as  much 
as  I  love  you  !  " 

"  More,  for  I  have  courage  to  sacrifice  myself  for 
your  happiness.  You  cannot  imagine  how  this  idea 
of  belonging  to  you  has  troubled  my  spirit.  I  assure 
you  it  has  tempted  me  more  than  once,  and  I  have 
always  put  it  from  me,  as  I  do  now.  Have  pity  on 
me,  do  not  oblige  me  to  weep.  I  am  weak,  do  not 
take  advantage  of  my  weakness." 


334  THE   JEW- 

"  But  this  man  is  unworthy  of  you." 

"  Unworthy  or  not,  I  married  him." 

"  And  if  he  himself  desired  the  divorce,  would  you 
hinder  him?  " 

"  Have  you  any  reason  for  saying  that?  " 

"No." 

"  Very  well,  then,  say  no  more.  Even  if  he  desert 
me,  I  will  refuse  to  be  yours." 

"  This  is  folly,  Mathilde." 

"  No,  it  is  love.  The  true  love  of  a  woman  who 
can  love  chastely.  To  give  you  my  hand  would  be  to 
put  you  in  his  place.  After  him ;  oh,  no  !  that  would 
be  too  humiliating." 

"You  are  an  angel,  but  I  wish  you  to  be  a  woman." 

"  Let  us  seek  rather  to  elevate  ourselves  above  this 
idle  humanity." 

"  Perhaps  you  can  attain  this  ideal,  but  I  cannot." 

"  I  can  understand,"  said  Mathilde  with  a  slight 
blush.  "  I  can  understand  an  instant  of  aberration, 
a  sudden  and  unforeseen  fall ;  but  I  have  no  sympathy 
with  the  profanation  of  conscience  by  a  designing 
woman.  She  who  has  pressed  two  men  to  her  bosom, 
becomes  afterward  like  an  inn  open  to  all.  One  only  ! 
only  one  for  life  and  death  !  " 

"  And  that  only  oue,  Henri !  " 

"  No,  it  is  not  he  !  It  is  you,  Jacob ;  he  has  only 
my  body,  you  have  my  soul." 

After  a  moment  of  exaltation  she  continued  :  — 

"  Tell  me,"  said  she,  "  do  you  really  believe  in  the 
immortality  of  the  soul  and  a  life  beyond  the  tomb?  " 


MUSE   CULTIVATES   THE  RUSSIANS. 


335 


"Yes,  I  believe  it.  Otherwise  man  would  have 
been  an  aspiration  that  God  would  not  have  realized. 
How  else  can  we  account  for  the  desire  for  immortality 
that  each  one  bears  within  his  soul  ?  Why  should  we 
suppose  that  this  presentiment,  this  divination  of  a 
future  existence,  should  be  an  illusion?  As  to  the 
conditions  of  the  future  life  we  are  ignorant.  Man 
dreams  that  he  will  awaken  the  same  as  when  he  closes 
his  eyes  here  below.  That  is  perhaps  an  error ;  but 
one  sure  thing  is,  that  the  soul  will  not  lose  acquired 
virtues  nor  the  reward  for  suffering,  courageously  en- 
dured.    Certainly  there  is  another  world." 

"  You  throw  balm  on  my  spirit ;  I  desire  to  believe, 
but  it  is  in  vain  that  I  search  for  faith  in  books.  They 
puzzle  me,  and  I  always  end  by  being  confirmed  in  an 
ignorance  which  can  be  expressed  in  these  words :  I 
know  nothing." 

"  Yes ;  but  one  does  not  draw  faith  from  books,  it 
proceeds  from  an  inner  voice." 

"  But  this  uncertainty ;  everywhere  this  dreadful 
uncertainty.  Virtue,  science,  reason  itself  are  so 
many  spider  webs  which  are  torn  by  every  wind.  Yet 
it  is  frightful  to  die  with  this  idea  of  annihilation  in 
one's  heart." 

"  Belief  in  God  warrants  us  in  this  hope  for  the 
future.  God  cannot  be  unjust.  He  could  not  have 
implanted  in  us  such  strong  and  persistent  hopes  to 
make  a  cruel  mockery  of  us.  It  is  inadmissible  if  one 
believe  in  him.  Have  confidence  in  God  and  keep 
his  commandments." 


336  THE    JEW. 

"  But  where  is  this  law  of  God  ?  In  the  books 
called  holy?  They  differ;  some  of  them  are  sup- 
posed to  be  revelation,  others  simple  popular  le- 
gends. How  uncertain  everything  is,  cold,  empty, 
frightful !  " 

With  these  words  she  trembled,  as  if  the  spectre 
of  death  had  appeared  before  her.  Then  she 
went  to  the  piano,  and  played  one  of  Chopin's 
touching  fantasies,  while  Jacob  listened.  Some  one 
put  a  hand  on  her  shoulder,  and  Mathilde  gave  a 
little  cry  of  fright.  The  dream  was  over.  This  was 
reality.  Henri,  with  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  appeared 
before  her. 

"  You  have  at  last  deigned  to  remember  us,"  said 
he  jokingly  to  Jacob.  "  You  haven't  been  here 
for  a  long  while.  Mathilde,  will  you  order  the 
tea?  What  time  is  it?  Nine  o'clock.  At  ten  I 
must  be  at  the  chateau.  I  have  scarcely  time  to  dress 
and  to  take  tea,  which  is  much  better  than  I  get  there, 
in  spite  of  their  golden  cups ;  but  how  can  you  stay 
in  this  room,  it  is  freezing." 

"  I  have  not  felt  cold,"  said  Jacob. 

"The  music  has  warmed  you,  then.  Have  you 
heard  Muse  play  Liszt's  last  fantasie?  It  is  stupefy- 
ing." 

"Muse's  execution  is  marvellous,  but  she  plays 
without  expression." 

"  Profane  blasphemer  !  " 

Jacob  said  no  more,  and  Henri  looked  at  his 
watch. 


MUSE   CULTIVATES    THE  RUSSIANS. 


337 


"  That  which  exasperates  me  is  the  white  cravat ; 
but  one  meets  the  best  society  at  the  chateau.  The 
Namiestnik  is  one  of  the  most  courteous  men  in  the 
world." 

"  Good-night,"  said  Jacob,  taking  his  hat. 

"  Good-night." 


338  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


LIA. 


Jacob  sought  for  two  days  the  place  where  Lia  had 
concealed  herself.  He  at  last  obtained  some  infor- 
mation about  her,  and  found  that  the  poor  girl's  misery 
was  horrible,  but  that  she  had  endured  it  uncom- 
plainingly and  with  angelic  patience.  She  lived  in 
the  rue  des  Jar  dins,  called  thus  because  of  the  gar- 
dens which  formerly  abounded  there,  most  of  which 
had  long  since  disappeared.  The  house  was  old  and 
in  bad  repair,  but  it  still  possessed  a  small  garden 
planted  with  fruit-trees.  Under  the  shadow  of  the 
apple  and  pear  trees  grew  beets,  carrots,  potatoes, 
and  onions,  also  strawberries  and  raspberry  bushes. 
In  the  centre  rose  a  magnificent  linden- tree,  the  pride 
of  the  proprietor.  This  tree  gave  shade,  as  well  as 
some  profit  from  its  flowers  and  its  bees.  In  many 
places  the  old  and  ruined  house  was  propped  up  to 
keep  it  from  falling,  and  the  shingles  on  the  roof 
were  covered  with  a  thick  moss.  In  the  lower  part 
lived  Jewish  families  blessed  with  many  children; 
Lia  lived  on  the  floor  above. 

At  the  door  Jacob  met  the  landlady.  She  was 
very  fat,  and  muffled  up  in  an  apron  of  foulard,  on 
which  the  portrait  of  Napoleon  I.  was  printed.     At 


LIA. 


339 


his  first  question  regarding  the  lodger  he  sought,  she 
looked  at  him  suspiciously,  and  replied  :  — 

"  The  woman  for  whom  you  ask  lives  here,  but  she 
receives  no  one.  If,  however,  monsieur,  your  busi- 
ness is  important  "  — 

"  Yes  ;  I  come  on  business." 

"  In  that  case  you  will  find  her  in  her  room.  She 
occasionally  comes  down  to  the  garden,  and  sits 
under  the  shade  of  our  linden.  She  has  no  right  to 
the  garden,  but  she  is  a  poor  girl,  sweet  and  quiet. 
I  pity  her.     Do  you  know  her,  monsieur?  " 

"  Very  little,  hardly  at  all ;  but  I  have  been  sent  by 
the  family,"  said  Jacob,  somewhat  embarrassed. 

"  Her  family  !  At  last,  then,  they  have  remem- 
bered the  poor  abandoned  one.  Oh,  my  good  mon- 
sieur, she  has  suffered  greatly  !  Go  !  Take  the  stairs. 
You  will  find  a  bell  near  her  room ;  but  if  you  pre- 
fer it,  I  will  announce  you.  Your  name?  Perhaps 
she  will  refuse  to  see  you." 

"  She  will  not  recognize  my  name,"  replied  Jacob. 

"  In  that  case,  do  as  you  think  best,  monsieur ;  to 
the  right." 

The  staircase  was  old  and  dirty,  with  broken  and 
uneven  steps,  and  in  place  of  a  balustrade  a  rope 
was  strung  from  one  end  to  the  other.  Through  the 
open  doors  of  the  rooms  he  could  see  large  chinks  in 
the  walls  through  which  came  the  heat  and  rain  in 
summer,  the  cold  and  snow  in  winter. 

Jacob  knocked  two  or  three  times  at  the  door ;  re- 
ceiving no  response,  he  decided  to  open  it  gently. 


340  THE    JEW. 

The  spectacle  which  met  his  eyes  was  heartrending. 
A  chamber,  or  rather  a  miserable  garret,  destitute  of 
furniture,  was  dimly  lighted  by  a  little  window  sunk 
in  the  wall.  In  one  corner  was  a  pallet,  and  by  its 
side  an  old  broken-down  cradle  which  had  done  ser- 
vice for  several  generations.  With  her  head  leaning 
on  a  table  a  young  woman  slept.  She  had  evidently 
been  overcome  suddenly  by  fatigue,  for  she  still  held 
in  her  hand  some  coarse  cloth  on  which  she  had  been 
working.  Her  feet  touched  the  cradle  in  which  re- 
posed a  feeble  and  sickly  babe.  The  nourishment 
that  the  poor  little  thing  drew  from  the  maternal 
breast  was  not  sufficient  to  develop  its  strength  and 
vitality. 

Lia  opened  her  eyes,  swollen  with  slumber ;  she  be- 
lieved that  the  intruder  had  made  a  mistake  in  the 
room,  and  remained  silent  and  inert.  Her  sunken  eyes 
and  sad  but  calm  expression  denoted  habitual  suffering 
with  resignation  to  misery. 

Jacob  stood  on  the  threshold,  undecided.  Lia 
spoke  at  last  and  said  :  "  Monsieur,  what  do  you  wish  ? 
Why  do  you  come  here  ?     Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  I  come  from  your  relations." 

"  I  have  no  relations ;  I  am  an  orphan,"  replied 
she  apprehensively. 

"  I  am  sent  for  your  good,"  said  Jacob.  "  Do  not 
be  afraid.  I  do  not  bring  bad  news,"  said  he  ten- 
derly. 

"  I  do  not  expect  news  from  anybody,"  cried  she; 
"  leave  me,  I  implore  you  !  " 


LIA. 


341 


With  these  words  her  terror  increased,  yet  her 
slightest  movement  was  graceful,  full  of  candour  and 
charm. 

Jacob  commenced  by  speaking  of  her  native  place. 
She  began  to  weep  bitterly. 

"They  have  forgotten  me  there,"  murmured  she. 
"Oh,  do  not  try  to  deceive  me  !  Yet,"  added  she, 
looking  at  him  fixedly,  "  you  have  the  appearance  of  a 
good  and  honest  man.     Why  should  I  fear  you? " 

"  You  have  no  occasion  for  fear,  my  poor  girl." 

Just  then  the  babe  awoke  and  commenced  to 
stretch  out  its  little  arms.  The  mother  forgot  her 
sorrows  and  the  presence  of  a  stranger ;  she  leaned 
over  the  cradle,  over  the  only  link  that  bound  her  to 
life,  and  caressed  the  frail  creature,  smiled,  and  spoke 
to  him  in  a  language  which  listeners  do  not  compre- 
hend, but  which  is  intelligible  to  babies  before  they 
can  speak.  In  this  dark  picture  it  seemed  like  a  ray 
of  sunshine.  The  infant  soon  slept  again,  soothed  by 
his  mother's  caresses.  During  this  scene  Lia's  beau- 
tiful hair  became  unloosed  ;  it  fell  over  her  shoulders 
in  thick  tresses  whose  length  denoted  that  she  was 
unmarried,  for  the  Jewish  law  obliges  married  women 
to  wear  their  hair  short.  She  blushingly  repaired  the 
disorder  of  her  toilet  and  offered  her  visitor  the  only 
chair  in  the  room,  while  she  sat  down  timidly  on  the 
edge  of  the  bed. 

In  the  meanwhile  Jacob  had  examined  the  room ;  a 
few  iron  pots  on  the  little  stove  showed  that  Lia  did 
her  own  cooking ;  stretched  on  a  ladder  against  the 


342  THE    JEW. 

wall  some  linen  was  drying.  In  spite  of  poverty  the 
room  was  exquisitely  clean,  arfd  from  the  open  win- 
dow could  be  seen  the  trees,  while  the  birds  sang  in 
the  garden. 

"Your  family  have  sent  me,"  said  Jacob.  "Your 
friends  have  perhaps  been  too  severe,  but  they  still 
love  you.     You  are  in  want  of"  — 

"  No,  I  am  very  well  where  I  am.  The  house  is 
quiet,  no  one  disturbs  me,  no  one  questions  me  ;  at  first 
it  was  a  little  trying,  but  now  I  am  accustomed  to  it." 

"If  not  for  yourself,  it  is  necessary  for  your  child 
that  you  should  leave  this  unwholesome  place.  That 
is  the  object  of  my  visit ;  you  must  take  a  better 
lodging  and  a  maid  to  help  you." 

Lia  looked  at  Jacob,  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

"  But  I  desire  nothing,"  said  she. 

"  I  bring  you  money,"  replied  Jacob. 

"  I  will  not  have  it.  I  refuse  this  charity.  I  can 
work  for  my  baby  and  myself." 

"  Your  work  will  kill  the  poor  little  one  who  is  dy- 
ing for  want  of  nourishment." 

"  Why  should  he  live  with  my  shame  graven  on  his 
brow?  He  is  my  consolation,  my  only  joy,  but  how 
much  better  would  it  have  been  for  him  never  to  have 
been  born  ! " 

"  Do  not  despair ;  have  confidence  in  divine  good- 
ness.    You  have  been  deceived  by  a  wicked  man." 

"  Wicked  !  Ah,  yes,  very  wicked  !  I,  who  believed 
his  words ;  I,  who  loved  him  so  —  perhaps  he  has  sent 
you?" 


LIA. 


343 


"  No." 

"  Swear  it !  "  cried  Lia. 

"  I  swear  it,"  replied  Jacob. 

"Then  who  is  the  charitable  person?" 

"It  is  enough  for  you  to  know  that  it  is  not  he. 
As  for  the  person  from  whom  I  come,  it  is  a  near  re- 
lation, but  you  must  not  ask  the  name ;  I  am  not 
permitted  to  tell  you.  Confide  in  me.  I  will  find  you 
a  quiet  house  where  you  will  be  protected." 

"  Oh,  no  !    no  protector,  I  wish  to  be  alone." 

"  As  you  please  ;  but  at  least  you  must  leave  here, 
and  permit  me  to  leave  you  a  small  sum  for  your  im- 
mediate expenses." 

"  God  is  merciful,  but  man  is  wicked  !  I  cannot 
believe  that  I  can  find  a  better  place  than  this,  where 
I  am  concealed  and  ignored  ;  elsewhere  they  may  be 
curious." 

"  Do  not  fear.  I  assure  you  I  will  find  an  asylum 
as  retired  as  this,  but  more  commodious." 

"  God  is  merciful !  "  repeated  Lia.  She  kissed  the 
infant's  brow,  and  held  out  to  Jacob  a  wasted  hand, 
wasted  by  fatigue  and  poverty. 

"  I  have  been  deceived  once,"  said  she ;  "  but  not- 
withstanding all  that,  I  have  confidence  in  you.  Some 
one  has  thought  of  me  enough  to  send  you ;  perhaps 
they  weep  and  love  me  still ;  but  if  it  were  not  for  my 
baby  I  would  not  leave  this  place.  I  cannot  earn 
enough  for  two.  I  have  had  frightful  days :  only  a 
cup  of  water,  a  crust  of  dry  bread,  and  not  a  cent  for 
milk.     I  knew  not  where  to  find  work.     I  lost  my 


344  THE   JEW- 

head.  I  wished  to  die,  yet  the  child  demanded  life. 
What  terrible  nights  have  I  passed  in  cold  and  hun- 
ger while  the  child  tore  my  heart  with  its  cries.  Oh, 
you  cannot  imagine  greater  torture  !  " 

"You  will  be  delivered  now,"  said  Jacob  gently. 
"But  one  thing  that  I  cannot  understand  is  why 
you  did  not  demand  of  the  seducer  aid  for  his 
child." 

"  I  !  "  cried  she.  "  I  accept  anything  from  that 
wretch  !  Before  doing  that  I  would  a  thousand  times 
rather  die,  and  see  my  child  die.  He  wished  to  give 
me  an  income  for  life,  and  I  threw  his  money  in  his 
face.  He  is  a  stranger  to  me,  and  my  child  shall 
never  know  him ;  he  would  have  reason  to  blush  for 
his  father.  Never  shall  my  lips  utter  his  cursed 
name,  and  I  will  efface  it  from  my  memory." 

Jacob  soothed  her,  and  gradually  reassured  she 
asked  :  — 

"  Have  you  come  from  my  house  ?  Have  you 
seen  the  old  man  whose  name  I  dare  not  utter,  the 
old  man  with  a  white  beard,  and  the  afflicted  mother, 
and  the  sister  who  suffers  for  my  shame,  and  the 
house  where  all  were  so  happy  before  my  folly  con- 
verted it  into  a  house  of  mourning  and  covered  it 
with  shame?" 

"  No,  I  have  not  been  there  recently." 

"  I  believe  I  recognize  you  now.  I  saw  you  once 
when  we  were  all  so  happy.  You  came  one  Sabbath, 
did  you  not?  and  you  had  a  long  and  serious  interview 
with  the  aged  man." 


LIA. 


345 


"  Yes.  And  I  have  not  been  there  since  that 
time." 

"  But  he  lives,  does  he  not  ?  They  have  completely- 
forgotten  me?" 

"  Yes,  they  are  all  living.  God  is  pitiful,  and  his 
pity  will  extend  to  you." 

"His  greatest  mercy  for  me  and  for  my  child 
would  be  for  us  to  die." 

"  Life  may  yet  have  many  pleasant  things  in  store 
for  you." 

"  Never  !  " 

Jacob  tried  to  divert  her  thoughts,  and  rose  to  go, 
saying :  — 

"  To-morrow  or  the  next  day  I  will  return  myself 
or  I  will  send  for  you.  I  will  seek  a  more  commo- 
dious lodging  and  a  servant  for  you.  Here  is  money 
for  your  urgent  expenses  and  for  new  clothes." 

He  placed  the  money  on  the  table.  Lia  was  really 
so  poorly  clad  that  it  was  unpleasant  for  her  to  show 
herself  on  the  streets. 

"  Cheer  up,"  added  Jacob ;  "  I  will  look  out  for 
you." 

Lia  became  frightened  again ;  she  wished  to  speak, 
but  the  words  died  on  her  lips,  and  her  heart  beat 
violently ;  her  doubts  returned,  and  Jacob  divined  it 
and  said  :  — 

"All  that  I  have  told  you  is  absolutely  true.  I 
will  never  trouble  you ;  it  will  be  from  a  distance  and 
invisible  that  I  shall  protect  you.  I  beg  of  you  do 
not  misjudge  me." 


346  THE    JEW. 

He  bowed  respectfully,  and  Lia,  seeing  that  he 
had  read  her  thoughts,  repented  of  her  unjust  sus- 
picions, and  bowed  in  return.  After  he  had  gone 
she  returned  to  the  cradle  and  embraced  the  sleep- 
ing infant. 


THE    OLD    MOTHER.  347 


CHAPTER     XXII. 

THE    OLD    MOTHER. 

Carried  away  in  the  whirl  of  active  city  life,  Jacob, 
since  his  residence  in  Warsaw,  had  had  little  commu- 
nication with  his  family,  who  had  remained  in  his  native 
province.  Twice  a  year  he  received,  by  letter,  his 
mother's  blessing,  and  news  of  his  sister  and  elder 
brother.  Despite  the  intellectual  distance  which 
education  had  put  between  him  and  his  relations, 
he  did  not  forget  them,  and  he  scrupulously  ac- 
quitted himself  of  his  duties  as  son  and  brother. 
Since  the  recent  political  disturbances  he  had  been 
deprived  of  a  correspondence  from  which  he  always 
derived  much  pleasure,  and  to  the  regularity  of 
which  he  was  accustomed,  and  he  felt  a  certain  in- 
quietude in  consequence. 

One  day,  on  returning  home,  he  was  informed  by 
his  servant  that  an  old  woman,  dressed  in  strange 
fashion,  who  said  she  was  a  near  relation,  waited  to 
see  him.  In  saying  this  the  servant  seemed  a  little 
embarrassed. 

"  I  knew  not  what  to  do,"  added  he  awkwardly ; 
"  I  told  this  person  that  monsieur  was  absent,  but  she 
was  obstinate  and  would  not  go.  She  raised  her 
voice,  and  the  noise  attracted  the  attention  of  the 


348  THE    JEW. 

servants  on  the  floor  below,  and  it  would  have  created 
a  disturbance  if  I  had,  as  I  at  first  intended,  ordered 
her  out.     So  there  she  isA  monsieur." 

"Who  is  this  woman?"  asked  Jacob. 

The  servant,  judging  his  master  by  his  own  way  of 
seeing  things,  dared  not  reply. 

"  I  do  not  understand  who  she  can  be,"  muttered 
he.  "  She  did  not  pronounce  her  name  distinctly. 
I  believe  she  has  come  to  ask  for  help.  I  am  not 
positive." 

As  soon  as  he  opened  the  door  Jacob  saw  a 
woman  who  was  walking  up  and  down  the  room, 
examining  everything  with  curiosity.  She  was  dressed 
in  the  ancient  costume  of  a  Polish  Jewess.  She  wore 
a  black  dress  of  strange  but  simple  fashion,  and 
around  her  throat  a  necklace  of  pearls  with  a  large 
gold  medallion;  a  long  black  mantle  completed  her 
costume,  and  her  face  was  sprinkled  with  patches,  fol- 
lowing the  ancient  fashion  for  Jewesses. 

Jacob  divined,  rather  than  recognized,  his  mother, 
and  with  a  cry  of  joy  threw  himself  at  her  feet  and 
covered  her  hand  with  kisses.  The  old  woman  was 
so  agitated  that  she  could  hardly  speak,  and  her  eyes 
filled  with  tears. 

Jacob  seated  her  on  the  sofa  and  ran  for  a  glass 
of  water.  In  his  haste  he  ran  against  the  servant  who 
was  peeping  through  the  key-hole,  and  who  had  no 
time  to  conceal  himself. 

"  Go  for  water  ! "  cried  Jacob.  "  You  gave  this 
lady  a  fine  reception  !     It  is  my  mother  !  " 


THE    OLD    MOTHER.  349 

"That  is  just  what  she  told  me,"  murmured  the 
man;  "but"  — 

"  Not  another  word !  Get  some  water,  I  tell 
you!" 

When  he  returned,  he  found  his  mother  much 
calmer. 

"  God  of  Israel,  how  great  has  been  thy  goodness 
to  my  child  !  Oh,  if  his  father  could  have  seen  the 
elegance  with  which  he  is  surrounded,  he  could  not 
have  said  enough  prayers  to  express  his  gratitude  ! 
God  of  Moses  !  Alas  !  I  can  only  thank  thee  by  my 
tears." 

"The  most  precious  gift  of  God  for  me,"  said 
Jacob,  "  is  the  joy  of  a  mother's  heart." 

"Your  prosperity  is  the  celestial  recompense  for 
your  father's  virtues.  This  recompense  has  not  been 
accorded  to  all  my  children.  Sarah  is  ill.  Miriam's 
children  are  dead.  I  could  not  resist  the  desire  to 
embrace  thee  once  more  before  I  die.  I  said  to 
myself,  'Perhaps  he  will  be  ashamed  of  his  old 
mother ;  '  that  kept  me.  Afterward,  I  thought  that 
at  the  worst  I  should  have  seen  thee,  if  even  from  afar, 
and  given  thee  a  secret  blessing." 

"How  couldst  thou,  dearest  mother,  think  me 
capable  of  such  vile  ingratitude,  and  such  forgetful- 
ness  of  the  commandments  of  God?  " 

"  O  my  Jacob,  I  know  the  world  !  Your  eldest 
brother  respects  me,  although  I  am  not  his  mother, 
but  only  his  father's  wife.  He  is  a  good  man  ;  yet  if 
I  go  to  his  house  poorly  dressed,  when  he  has  elegant 


350  THE    JEW. 

visitors,  I  can  see  that  he  is  ashamed  of  me.  But 
don't  be  afraid,  my  son,  I  will  not  show  myself 
before  your  fine  friends." 

"Then  you  will  cruelly  offend  me,"  cried  Jacob. 
"  Never  shall  I  be  ashamed  of  my  mother,  nor  my 
father,  nor  my  race,  nor  my  religion,  nor  anything 
holy.  To  conceal  one's  origin  is  a  foolish  pride,  a 
criminal  lie." 

Just  then  the  servant  entered,  much  disturbed,  and 
said :  — 

"  One  of  monsieur's  friends  is  here ;  shall  I  show 
him  in?  " 

"  Certainly,"  said  Jacob. 

It  was  Mathilde's  father.  He  did  not  recognize 
his  relative,  and  was  surprised  to  see  an  old  Jewess 
seated  on  the  sofa.  He  had  suspected  Jacob  of  en- 
tertaining a  visitor  of  another  kind. 

"  Mother,  you  remember  Monsieur  Samuel,  our 
cousin,  and  my  guardian?"  said  Jacob.  "I  owe 
everything  to  him." 

"After  God,  it  is  to  you  that  I  am  most  grateful," 
replied  Jacob's  mother. 

Monsieur  Samuel  was  somewhat  embarrassed  ;  he 
succeeded,  nevertheless,  in  addressing  some  words  of 
courtesy  to  the  good  woman,  and  to  relieve  himself  of 
his  embarrassment  he  drew  Jacob  aside  under  pretext 
of  pressing  business. 

"I  came  to  consult  with  you,"  said  he;  "but  we 
can  leave  it  until  some  other  time.  Now  let  me  ask 
you,  what  will  you  do  with  your  mother?  " 


THE    OLD    MOTHER. 


351 


"  The  name  of  '  mother '  is  my  only  reply." 

u  A  beautiful  phrase ;  but  do  not  be  sentimental,  I 
beg  of  you,  dear  Jacob.  Do  not  compromise  your- 
self in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  This  queerly  dressed 
old  woman,  if  she  is  seen  with  you,  will  hurt  us 
socially  as  well  as  you.  You  cannot  brave  public 
opinion." 

"  I  do  not  care  to  cultivate  the  acquaintance  of 
those  who  mock  my  affection  for  my  mother,"  said 
Jacob.  "  This  will  prove  their  worth  ;  thus  I  can  tell 
the  gold  from  the  baser  metal." 

"  A  truce  to  poetry  !  Let  us  look  on  life  as  it  really 
is.  As  soon  as  the  world  scents  a  Jew,  it  will  tolerate 
him  only  when  his  perfume  is  sweet \  the  odours  of 
the  iarmulka  are  obnoxious." 

"  I  will  make  no  concessions  to  the  prejudices  of 
the  world,"  said  Jacob. 

"Well,  then,  spare  me  the  honour  of  receiving  a 
visit  from  your  mother." 

Jacob  grew  pale  and  his  eyes  flashed. 

"You  have  been  my  benefactor,"  said  he  slowly. 
"  Do  not  make  me  forget  it." 

"  Excuse  me,  there  are  degrees  in  Judaism ;  for  ex- 
ample, I  give  myself  out  as  a  descendant  of  rich 
German  Jews." 

"  Why  do  you  prefer  the  German  Jews,"  asked  Ja- 
cob with  a  smile  of  pity.  "  Are  they  any  the  less 
Jews?" 

"  Perhaps  not.  But  they  rank  higher,  and  their 
past  is  different.      Will  your  mother  live  with  you?" 


352  THE    JEW. 

" 1  hope  so.  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  her  near 
me." 

"  I  see  that  it  is  useless  to  reason  with  you.  I 
cannot  convince  you  \  but  if  you  have  thoughts  of 
Muse,  I  advise  you  to  be  careful." 

"  I  do  not  dream  of  Mademoiselle  Wtorkowska." 

"There  have  been  rumours"  — 

"  These  rumours  have  no  foundation." 

"  The  presence  of  your  mother  in  your  apartments 
will  shock  many  people." 

"  So  much  the  worse  for  them.  I  do  not  intend  to 
offer  my  mother  as  a  holocaust." 

"  Has  she  brought  any  more  of  the  family?  " 

"  I  believe  that  she  is  alone.  Poor  old  woman  !  to 
see  me  she  has  undertaken  a  long  and  wearisome 
journey." 

"  She  had  better  have  sent  for  you  to  come  to  her, 
instead  of  suddenly  appearing  at  Warsaw." 

Then  Mathilde's  father  returned  to  the  salon,  sa- 
luted the  old  woman  politely,  and  took  his  leave. 

On  the  first  floor  of  the  house  the  news  of  the  arri- 
val of  a  Jewess  in  the  ancient  national  costume  was 
circulated  from  mouth  to  mouth.  Jacob's  servant 
had  no  secrets  from  the  Wtorkowska's  maid,  and  he 
soon  told  her  all  about  it ;  she  carried  the  news  to 
madame,  who,  inspired  by  Paul  de  Kock,  her  favour- 
ite author,  arranged  the  story  in  her  own  fashion  and 
went  to  relate  it  to  Muse. 

"  It  is  nothing  to  me,"  cried  the  young  lady.  "  Ja- 
cob is  no  longer  on  my  list." 


THE    OLD    MOTHER.  353 

"  Alas,"  replied  Madame  Wtorkowska,  "  to  be  so 
rich  and  to  remain  such  an  obstinate  Jew  !  " 

"  Mamma,  would  you  have  any  objection  to  Sofro- 
nof,  if  he  declares  himself?  "  asked  Emusia. 

"  Do  as  you  wish.  Provided  that  you  marry,  your 
choice  will  be  mine.  Yet  be  on  your  guard  with  this 
Sofronof.  These  Russians  have  no  scruples,  no  deli- 
cacy j  to  break  a  woman's  heart  is  for  them  a  pleas- 
ure, something  to  glory  in.  Under  apparent  splen- 
dour, they  are  often  penniless  adventurers  who  come 
to  Poland  to  replenish  their  purses.  I  know  the  Rus- 
sians well.  Many  of  them  parade  about  in  a  brilliant 
uniform  and  live  in  poverty." 

"Mamma,  Sofronof  has  a  fine  property  in  the 
province  of  Kostroma." 

"  I  have  met  these  brilliant  officers  who  boast  of 
possessing  hundreds  of  peasants  near  Iaroslaf  or 
Tambof.  They  lied,  and  this  one  may  also.  Let  us  go 
to  Kostroma.  The  government  pays  these  colonels  so 
poorly,  and  even  the  generals,  that  they  are  obliged 
to  rob  to  cut  any  figure." 

H  It  is  not  called  robbery  in  Russia.  They  give  it 
another  name,  —  indirect  revenue,  I  believe.  The 
country  is  so  organized  that  the  employes,  civil  and 
military,  without  exception,  procure  indirect  revenues 
to  increase  their  salary." 

"  Yes,  dear  Emusia,  I  regret  Jacob.  Unfortunately, 
he  has  a  mother  who  is  an  impossible  Jewess." 

"If  I  willed  it,  nevertheless,  I  could  make  him 
leave  father,    mother,    and  religion.      I    am   sure   I 


354  THE   JEW. 

could  overcome  him ;  but  I  do  not  care  to  make  any 
more  efforts  in  that  direction.  Jacob  is  not  congenial 
to  me.     My  favourite,  you  know,  is  Henri." 

"You  always  force  me  to  repeat  that  he  is 
married." 

"  The  obstacle  is  Mathilde.  She  will  soon  die, 
and  Henri  would  marry  me  immediately." 

"The  grapes  are  too  green." 

"We  will  see,  and  as  a  last  resort  I  have  always 
Sofronof." 

Some  days  after  the  arrival  of  Jacob's  mother 
Henri  Segel  said  to  his  father-in-law :  — 

"This  Jacob  is  intractable.  He  will  never  be  a 
society  man.  Presumptuous  and  obstinate,  he  refuses 
to  see  the  world  as  it  is.  His  head  is  full  of  fan- 
tasies from  the  Talmud,  of  dreams  of  reform,  strange 
ideas  of  fraternal  union.  He  is  for  Poland,  and  at 
the  same  time  against  the  revolution.  He  refuses  to 
enter  into  relations  with  the  most  important  persons. 
He  keeps  to  himself  and  is  a  real  savage ;  useless  to 
the  world,  yet  not  deprived  of  intelligence.  But  he  is 
of  no  use  to  us." 

"  He  always  reminds  me  of  the  beggary  from 
which  I  took  him,"  said  Samuel.  "  He  seems  to  be 
proud  of  it." 

"  It  is  too  bad ;  with  his  large  acquaintance  he 
could  have  been  of  great  service  to  us.  He  has  good 
manners  and  a  sympathetic  character.  No  one  would 
ever  take  him  for  a  Jew,  if  he  did  not  foolishly  avow 
his  origin  on  every  occasion.     He  is  compromising  in 


THE    OLD    MOTHER.  355 

society.  Men  of  his  calibre  are  destined  to  an  evil 
end,  and  he  makes  himself  disagreeable  to  all.  He 
must  be  blind,  to  act  so  much  against  his  own 
interests." 

"  Have  you  heard  about  his  mother?  " 

"Not  yet." 

"  Imagine,  then,  a  Jewess  of  the  lowest  rank  suddenly 
appearing  at  his  house.  He  has  welcomed  her,  and 
made  much  of  her,  and  walked  with  her  on  the  public 
streets.  He  would  have  brought  her  to  me,  if  I  had 
not  begged  him  to  spare  me  this  ridicule." 

"  The  same  danger  threatens  me,  I  fear,  and  he  is 
capable  of  choosing  the  very  day  when  I  have  the 
best  society  of  Warsaw  in  my  salon.  This  eccentric 
has  turned  Mathilde's  head.  She  will  suffer  no  one 
to  ridicule  him,  and  looks  on  him  as  a  saint." 

"  They  have  indulged  in  a  Platonic  romance  since 
their  childhood ;  but  I  will  give  you  the  means  of 
breaking  the  charm  which  enchains  my  daughter's 
spirit.  Behold  !  he  whom  she  takes  for  a  saint  pays 
his  tribute  to  frail  humanity." 

"  How  ?  I  have  never  heard  any  scandal  about 
Jacob." 

i(  He  has  concealed  it  well ;  but  I  have  a  good 
detective  who  has  told  me  that  this  sage,  learned  in 
the  books  of  Solomon,  follows  the  footsteps  of  that 
voluptuous  monarch.  Only  they  are  not  beautiful 
Midianites  with  whom  he  shares  his  wealth.  He  ha? 
succumbed  to  a  pure-blooded  Jewess." 

"Tell  me  about  it,  I  beg  of  you." 


356  THE    JEW. 

"  Well,  you  know  that  J  like  to  look  about  me  a 
little  everywhere.  Sometimes  I  profit  by  it,  and  it 
always  amuses  me.  Sometimes  in  one  direction, 
sometimes  another,  I  have  bloodhounds  that  I 
chat  with.  Of  late,  that  old  man  with  a  red  nose, 
whom  they  call  Trompette,  has  spied  about  for  me. 
One  day  I  was  occupied ;  he  insisted  on  seeing  me, 
and  came  in  with  a  mysterious  air  as  if  he  had  a  state 
secret.  He  told  me  that  Monsieur  Jacob,  —  you  will 
never  guess,— the  pious  Jacob,  had  a  mistress.  She  is 
a  Jewess,  whose  father  is  very  rich.  The  romance 
has  lasted  a  long  time,  for  the  result  is  a  child,  on 
account  of  which  she  has  been  turned  from  her 
father's  house." 

"Well,  well !"  cried  Henri.  "  Why,  it  is  impos- 
sible !  " 

"  At  first  he  hid  her  with  the  greatest  mystery  in  a 
little  old  house  in  the  rue  des  Jardins.  Now  he  has 
established  her,  still  secretly,  in  a  much  more  comfort- 
able place  in  Saint  George's  street.  He  often  goes 
there  in  the  evening.  I  know  it  to  be  so,  and  I  am 
told  that  the  girl  is  pretty,  graceful,  and  modest." 

"  How  does  he  reconcile  this  proceeding  with  his 
principles?"  asked  Henri.  "Really,  I  am  sur- 
prised." 

Samuel  laughed  heartily,  and  added  :  — 

"  Yes ;  Jacob  has  concealed  this  intrigue  well ;  but 
some  day  I'll  tease  him  about  it.  That  will  be  great 
fun." 

"  I  can  hardly  believe  it  yet,"  said  Henri. 


THE    OLD    MOTHER. 


357 


"  There  is  no  doubt  whatever,  I  assure  you.  Jacob 
supports  a  pretty  girl,  and  she  lacks  nothing.  If  you 
think  it  is  for  love  of  humanity  and  chastity,  explain 
his  motive." 

"He  is,  then,  a  Don  Juan  disguised  as  an  anchorite. 
It  is  a  side  of  his  character  that  I  have  never  sus- 
pected.    I  never  dreamed  of  it." 

"Do  you  wish  to  be  convinced  with  your  own 
eyes?  Here  is  the  address,  go  and  see  for  yourself; 
you  are  one  of  the  family,  and  you  might  take  a  little 
trouble  about  it.  The  thing  ought  to  be  cleared  up. 
You  will  not  fail,  with  a  little  pains,  to  surprise  the 
gay  Lothario  in  flagrante  delicto.  After  that  he  will 
not  talk  so  much  about  the  saints  and  holy  writ.  At 
heart  he  is  no  better  than  the  rest  of  us." 

"  Alas,  poor  Jacob,  where  is  your  character  now  ! 
Do  you  know  how  this  original  romance  com- 
menced?" 

"  It  is  a  secret  that  you  will  discover,  no  doubt.  I 
can  only  say  one  thing,  that  it  is  a  secret  no  longer." 

"  But  it  is  such  a  short  time  since  he  returned,  that 
the  connection  must  have  begun  abroad.  Who  knows 
where?     Perhaps  at  the  baths." 

Henri  Segel,  seemingly  absorbed  in  thought,  went 
in  the  early  evening  to  see  Muse.  This  was  for  him 
the  privileged  hour  for  a  charming  interview,  when  no 
one  ventured  to  disturb  them,  not  even  Sofronof. 
She  had  so  well  arranged  her  time  that  her  favourites 
never  ran  the  risk  of  meeting  each  other.  The  early 
part  of  the  evening  was  given  to  Henri,  who  could 


358  THE    JEW. 

then  at  his  ease  chat  and  joke  with  the  siren  and 
kiss  her  lovely  hands.  Segel  was  so  preoccupied 
that  the  young  lady  noticed  it. 

" What  has  come  over  you?"  asked  she.  "Why 
are  you  so  quiet?  Have  you  lost  at  the  Bourse,  or 
has  your  dancer  left  you  for  the  epaulets?  " 

"  How  cruel  you  are,  dear  mademoiselle,  to  think 
that  such  selfish  preoccupations  should  cloud  my 
brow." 

"  I  think  that  you  are  a  sensible  and  practical  man, 
that  is  all." 

"  Well,  this  time  you  deceive  yourself.  That  which 
troubles  me  is  the  downfall  of  a  man  whom  "  — 

"  The  fall  of  a  man  ?     That  is  curious." 

"  Very  curious." 

"Do  I  know  the  man?  " 

"Very  well.     He  is  one  of  your  friends." 

"  Speak,  then  !  Why  distil  your  story  drop  by 
drop?" 

"It  is  Jacob." 

"  A  fall !     His  mother's  visit,  then  ?  " 

"  No  j  better  than  that." 

"What,  then?" 

"  An  original  adventure,  a  strange  story.  Jacob, 
our  saint,  our  immaculate  Jacob,  has  a  mistress  by 
whom  he  has  a  child." 

"  Pure  calumny  !  "  said  Muse. 

"  At  first  I  thought  so  too ;  but,  alas  !  it  is  a  fact ; 
there  is  good  proof." 

"This  will  destroy  his  character." 


THE    OLD   MOTHER. 


359 


"Simple  truth  that  all  men  are  fallible,"  said 
Henri. 

"  I  am  dying  to  know  the  details  !  "  cried  Muse. 
"  Is  she  young,  pretty,  blond  or  brunette,  poor  or 
rich,  well  educated  ?  " 

"  She  is  only  a  little  Jewess,  daughter  of  a  merchant, 
but  young  and  very  pretty." 

"When  did  this  intrigue  commence?  " 

"  I  am  ignorant  of  the  circumstances.  It  was  my 
father-in-law,  whom  nothing  escapes,  who  discovered 
it.  At  first  I  did  not  believe  it,  but  he  soon  convinced 
me.  The  girl  lived  in  the  rue  des  Jardins  for  a  while, 
now  in  Saint  George's  street." 

"And  this  offspring  of  which  you  spoke?" 

"  Did  you  not  understand  me  ?  " 

Muse  smiled  and  did  not  repeat  her  question,  she 
only  added  :  — 

"  He  played  so  well  the  role  of  chaste  Joseph  that 
no  one  would  have  suspected  him  of  this." 

"  Humbug  !  His  character  now  appears  to  me  in 
a  new  light.  I  must  commence  to  study  him  again ; 
until  now  I  was  all  astray." 

"  I,"  replied  Muse,  "  was  convinced  that  he  was 
ice  toward  women.  At  last  I  see  that  he  is  vulnera- 
ble." She  was  so  impatient  to  repeat  this  scandal  to 
her  mother  that  she  dismissed  Henri. 

"At  present,"  said  she,  after  finishing  her  story, 
"  this  man  seems  to  me  more  inexplicable  than  ever. 
A  common  girl  succeeds  where  I  have  failed." 

"  He  loves  ;  that  explains  all,"  said  her  mother. 


360  THE    JEW, 

"  He  loves  !  That  is  no  reason ;  it  is  no  excuse.  I 
am  furious,  now  that  I  see  that  his  coldness  was  only 
assumed  so  as  not  to  marry  me." 

Colonel  Sofronof  paid  dear  for  Muse's  vexation. 
She  deprived  him  of  little  bits  of  news  that  she  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  giving  him,  and  in  order  to  irri- 
tate him  displayed  some  patriotic  songs.  However, 
he  did  not  get  angry,  but  only  smiled,  and  said  :  — 

"You  are  not  feeling  well  to-night." 

The  calumny  spread  rapidly.  Henri  arrived  home 
in  good  humour.  Not  finding  visitors,  he  resigned 
himself  to  tea  with  his  wife.  After  tea  the  English- 
woman read  in  one  corner,  Mathilde  in  another; 
finally  Segel  broke  the  prolonged  silence. 

"  Have  you  seen  Jacob  lately?  "  asked  he.   % 

"  No ;  he  has  not  been  here  for  some  time." 

"  Without  doubt  his  mother's  society  "  — 

"Yes,  he  told  me  of  her  arrival,"  said  Mathilde. 

"  Has  he  ever  spoken  of  any  one  else?  " 

"Of  whom,  then?" 

"  Bah  !  It  is  useless  to  tell  you.  It  is  not  worth 
while  to  destroy  your  illusions.  You  have  an  affection 
for  Jacob ;  let  it  rest." 

The  least  curious  of  women  have  still  a  little  touch 
of  curiosity,  especially  in  regard  to  the  man  they 
love.     Mathilde   became  uneasy. 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  she  with  agitation,  "  that  Jacob 
has  done  nothing  to  destroy  the  good  opinion  that  I 
have  of  him." 

"  If  you  are  sure,  so  much  the  better." 


THE    OLD    MOTHER. 


361 


"Do  not  torment  me  thus.  As  you  have  com- 
menced, tell  me  all." 

"Why  should  you  take  this  lively  interest  in  Jacob," 
said  Henri  smiling. 

"  I  love  him  as  a  brother ;  I  have  never  concealed 
it.     We  were  brought  up  together." 

"  Well,  this  Jacob  has  committed  no  crime.  He 
simply  possesses  a  mistress  whom  he  conceals  from 
public  view."  Then  he  repeated  cynically  all  he  had 
heard,  with  a  malicious  irony. 

"  If  you  do  not  believe  me,"  added  he,  "  ask 
your  father.  He  is  the  one  that  discovered  the 
secret." 

During  this  narration  Mathilde  had  grown  red  and 
pale,  and  listened  with  bowed  head,  trembling  ner- 
vously. Suddenly  she  raised  her  head  and  said 
boldly  :  — 

"  It  is  a  lie  !  I  believe  neither  you  nor  my  father. 
It  is  an  unworthy  calumny." 

"  And  why  do  you  say  that?  " 

"  Because  it  is  not  possible." 

With  these  words,  instead  of  going  to  the  piano  as 
usual,  she  went  and  shut  herself  up  in  her  room, 
where  she  could  give  free  vent  to  her  tears.  Until 
then  she  had  been  so  proud  of  the  man  whom  she 
had  made  her  ideal.  Her  idol  was  overthrown  from 
his  pedestal  and  was  reduced  to  the  level  of  ordinary 
men. 

Then  she  said  to  herself :  — 

(<  No,   it   cannot   be   possible."      An   inner   voice 


362  THE    JEW. 

replied  :  "  They    are   all    built   on    the   same   model. 
The  whole  world  is  corrupt." 

Life  now  appeared  so  empty,  so  sombre,  so  odious 
to  her  that  she  would  gladly  have  died.  The  next 
day  when  she  seated  herself  at  the  table,  her  face 
bore  traces  of  the  great  suffering  she  had  endured. 
She  was  very  pale,  and  her  features  were  drawn  and 
pinched.  She  replied  indifferently  to  her  husband's 
questions,  and  pleading  a  violent  headache,  hastened 
again  to  her  chamber.  She  wished  to  be  alone  with 
her  sorrow. 


R  US SI 'AN  POLITICS.  363 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

RUSSIAN   POLITICS. 

Russian  tyranny  increased  the  number  of  the  revo- 
lutionists, for  often  a  cause  which  has  at  the  outset 
few  adherents  rapidly  develops  when  blood  has  been 
shed. 

Jacob,  who  had  been  opposed  to  those  who  incited 
the  country  to  a  revolution,  modified  his  sentiments 
in  its  favour  when  the  government  displayed  bayonets 
and  erected  scaffolds. 

At  the  head  of  the  saviours  of  Poland  by  terrorism 
was  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine,  brother  of  Alexan- 
der II.,  and  the  Marquis  Wielopolski.  These  two 
would  probably  have  adopted  another  system  if  Peters- 
burg had  not  forced  them  to  employ  the  traditional 
remedies  of  cruelty  and  tyranny,  banishment,  the  pen- 
alty of  death,  Siberia,  and  penal  servitude. 

Jacob  did  not  protest  against  resistance  to  arbitrary 
enlistment  accomplished  in  the  most  outrageous 
manner.  From  the  Polish  nation,  wounded  in  its 
dignity,  rose  on  all  sides  the  cry  of  revolt.  "  Rather 
death  than  be  slaves,  kissing  under  the  knout  the 
hand  of  our  executioners  !  " 

Jacob  was  willing  to  do  anything  he  could,  but  his 
former  prudence  had  alienated  him  from  the  revolu- 


364  THE    JEW. 

tionary  party.  So  he  employed  himself  in  publishing 
a"  Jewish  journal  in  the  Polish  language,  in  which  he 
continued  to  maintain  his  ideas  of  Jewish  reform  ;  but 
for  such  a  propaganda  the  moment  was  not  opportune. 
New  troubles  also  awaited  him.  His  articles,  written 
in  elegant  style  with  warm  conviction,  attained  recogni- 
tion from  his  co-religionists  only  on  their  literary 
merit.  To  some  it  was  superstition,  to  others  fanati- 
cism, and  so  he  remained  alone  in  politics  as  well  as 
religion.  He  was  too  much  Jew  or  too  little  Jew,  too 
patriotic  or  not  patriotic  enough.  The  society  of  his 
mother  was  a  great  consolation  to  him  at  this  time. 
He  had  installed  her  in  his  apartments,  and  often 
walked  out  with  her,  and  his  filial  devotion  had  put 
him  under  the  ban  of  the  wealthy  Jewish  society.  He 
was  avoided  by  all.  He  perceived  it,  and  renounced 
all  relations  with  these  narrow-minded  men.  He 
even  ceased  to  go  to  Segel's  on  account  of  Henri's 
coldness.  Mathilde  gave  another  explanation  to  this 
voluntary  ostracism ;  in  it  she  saw  confirmation  of 
the  rumours  she  had  heard.  The  poor  girl  suffered 
greatly. 

One  evening  Jacob  was  tempted  to  visit  the  Wtor- 
kowska's,  hoping  to  meet  Mathilde.  In  the  midst  of 
an  assembly  composed  almost  exclusively  of  Russians 
appeared  a  new-comer,  the  Count  Bavorof,  counsel- 
lor of  state.  He  was  scarcely  thirty  years  old,  and 
was  said  to  be  a  great  favourite  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Constantine,  and  above  all  he  was  a  bachelor.  Natu- 
rally, Muse  wished  to  count  him  among  the  number 


RUSSIAN  POLITICS.  365 

of  her  adorers,  and  had  already  tried  on  him  the 
irresistible  combination  of  beauty  joined  to  wit. 

Jacob  approached  Mathilde,  who  was  seated  at  one 
side,  alone.     Her  deadly  pallor  shocked  him. 

"  Are  you  suffering?  "  asked  he,  in  a  low  voice. 

The  young  woman  threw  on  him  a  glance  of  pro- 
found compassion,  and  replied  :  — 

"  No.     I  feel  no  worse  to-day  than  usual." 

"  I  have  not  seen  you  for  a  long  time,"  said  Jacob. 

"  That  is  true." 

"  It  is  my  fault ;  but  I  cannot  impose  myself  on 
men  who  repulse  me." 

"  Rather,  is  it  not  you  who  repulse  them?  " 

The  remark  sounded  like  a  reproach. 

"  How  ?  I  ?  They  avoid  me  because  my  dear 
old  mother,  who  is  endowed  with  many  excellent 
qualities,  is  not  an  elegant  and  fashionable  woman. 
Is  that  any  reason  why  I  should  not  love  her  and 
cherish  her?  The  ridiculous  snobbishness  of  my  so- 
called  friends  will  not  regulate  my  conduct." 

"  Is  it  your  mother  alone  that  keeps  you  from  us  ? 
Perhaps  there  is  another  person  who  absorbs  your 
time?" 

Jacob  opened  his  eyes,  astonished.  There  was 
something  in  his  look  so  open  and  reassuring,  that 
she  felt  shaken  in  her  conviction.  She  blushed,  and 
was  too  embarrassed  to  prolong  the  conversation,  so 
she  rose  and  went  to  sit  near  Muse.  She  took  her 
leave  soon,  bowing  to  Jacob  from  a  distance. 

The  latter  was  downcast.     He  sought  in  vain  the 


366  THE    JEW. 

key  to  this  enigma.  He  understood  that  some  one 
had  calumniated  him  to  his  beloved,  but  who  or  what 
it  was  he  could  not  imagine. 

In  the  salon  the  conversation  was  animated. 
Colonel  Sofronof,  Count  Bavorof,  Muse,  and  the 
Counsellor  Pikulinski  made  most  of  the  noise.  The 
recent  recruiting,  from  which  had  burst  out  the  first 
revolutionary  spark,  was  the  subject  of  the  discussion. 
Sofronof  did  not  approve  of  the  measure,  and  com- 
menced to  question  the  genius  of  the  Marquis  Wielo- 
polski.  The  Count  Bavorof,  with  his  ideas  fresh  from 
Moscow,  told  of  the  atrocious  repressions,  since  per- 
fected and  adopted  with  so  much  cruelty,  which  the 
journalist,  Katkof,  was  disposed  to  raise  to  the  height 
of  a  system. 

The  Counsellor  Pikulinski  was  one  of  those  coun- 
sellors from  whom  no  one  expects  the  least  counsel. 
He  was  an  absolute  nonentity.  The  sole  thought 
which  predominated  in  his  poorly  developed  brain 
was  the  perpetual  fear  of  compromising  himself. 
Like  a  doll  that  always  squeaks  alike  when  it  is  struck 
in  the  stomach,  at  each  instant  he  repeated  the  word 
"  yes,"  with  an  approving  nod  of  the  head. 

It  mattered  little  to  Pikulinski  if  the  "  yes  "  ac- 
corded to  one  person  contradicted  the  "yes"  offered 
to  another.  The  essential  thing  with  him  was  not  to 
oppose  superior  authority  or  its  representatives. 
Thanks  to  this  invariable  line  of  conduct,  he  had 
made  a  splendid  career  in  the  bureaucratic  hie- 
rarchy.    Decorated  with  the  cordon  of  Saint    Stan- 


RUSSIAN  POLITICS.  367 

islas,  the  cross  of  Saint  Waldimir,  he  enjoyed  the 
entire  confidence  of  the  government  as  a  reward  of 
twenty-five  years  of  faithful  service. 

Despite  his  intrinsic  nullity  he  displayed  an  enor- 
mous activity.  Official  presentations,  manifestations 
of  devotion,  addresses  of  submission  to  the  govern- 
ment, subscriptions  of  command,  deputations,  wher- 
ever he  could  make  himself  conspicuous,  Pikulinski 
appeared. 

A  kind-hearted  man,  he  knew  how  to  render  him- 
self agreeable  to  the  old  dignitaries  and  to  the  ven- 
erable dowagers,  and  it  was  natural  that  he  should 
expect  still  further  promotion  in  his  civil  career.  The 
title  of  senator  and  the  order  of  the  White  Eagle 
could  not  escape  him ;  it  was  only  a  question  of 
time.  At  each  new  favour  from  the  government 
Pikulinski  was  profoundly  touched.  He  quickly  put 
on  his  full-dress  uniform  covered  with  decorations, 
and  hastened  to  present  himself  at  the  chateau,  in 
order  to  return  his  humble  thanks.  He  always  re- 
turned from  these  interviews  puffed  up  with  pride  at 
the  flattering  words  of  his  chiefs. 

"  If  every  one,"  thought  he,  "  would  imitate  my  ex- 
ample, how  many  evils  might  be  averted.  Unfortu- 
nately, most  of  my  Polish  compatriots  are  wanting  in 
tact  and  have  little  policy." 

In  Madame  Wtorkowska's  salon  he  took  no  active 
part  in  the  conversation,  but  contented  himself  by 
throwing  in  here  and  there  a  "  yes  "  which  was  only 
varied  by  the  inflexion. 


368  THE    JEW. 

"  Russia,"  said  Bavorof,  "  can  say  that  she  will  act 
independently  with  more  justice  than  Italy.  She  will 
carefully  refrain  from  an  alliance  with  perfidious  Aus- 
tria and  feudal  Prussia.  Young  and  vigorous,  she  is 
strong  enough  to  make  head  against  the  whole  Occi- 
dent united." 

"  Yes,"  immediately  assented  Pikulinski. 

"  It  would  be  wiser  to  avoid  the  conflict,"  said  So- 
fronof. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  counsellor  of  state  feebly. 

"For  my  part,"  said  Jacob,  "  I  think  it  would  be  a 
sensible  thing  for  her  not  to  engage  in  so  formidable 
a  combat." 

"  And  why,  then?  "  demanded  Bavorof. 

At  this  question  Pikulinski  accidentally  let  fall  a 
"  yes,"  which  he  tried  to  smother  by  coughing. 

"  Poland,"  replied  Jacob,  "  claims  only  the  liberties 
guaranteed  by  legitimate  treaties  of  the  past.  It 
would  be  much  better  to  give  them  to  her,  than  to 
reply  by  terrorism  and  false  claims." 

The  counsellor  of  state  could  scarcely  suppress  a 
"  yes,"  which  was  on  the  point  of  coming  out ;  then  he 
feared  that  he  had  compromised  himself  by  merely 
assisting  at  this  conversation ;  he  was  taken  with 
pains  in  the  stomach,  and  took  refuge  in  another  part 
of  the  room. 

"You  are  putting  yourself  in  a  bad  light,  monsieur," 
replied  the  count.  "  We  do  not  recognize  any  rights 
whatever  on  the  part  of  Poland  nor  the  Poles,  not 
even  the  inherent  rights  of  men.     Our  first  duty  is  to 


RUSSIAN  POLITICS.  369 

repress  this  revolutionary  tendency.  Our  strength 
sustains  us ;  it  is  by  this  that  we  live.  Our  sole  means 
of  existence  are  our  swords." 

"  To  say  that  Russia's  only  power  is  brute  force," 
replied  Jacob,  "  is  to  avow  her  moral  weakness." 

"  Until  the  present  the  empire  has  had  no  other  foun- 
dation than  force,  described  by  you  as  brutal.  That 
may  change,  perhaps ;  but  in  the  meanwhile  I  repeat 
to  you  our  gospel  is  the  sword." 

The  count's  cynicism  shocked  the  colonel,  who  was 
more  diplomatic. 

"  Monsieur  le  Comte,"  said  he,  "  I  cannot  entirely 
agree  with  you.  There  are  certain  hereditary  rights 
which  should  be  superior  to  force." 

Pikulinski  almost  let  fall  a  "  yes,"  but  judged  it  pru- 
dent to  await  a  better  occasion. 

"Passive  obedience,"  continued  Jacob,  addressing 
the  count,  "  seems  to  be  your  principal  axiom." 

"  Yes,  for  it  is  a  national  axiom,  powerful  as  a  relig- 
ious dogma.  Add  to  that,  money,  official  position, 
decorations,  titles  of  nobility,  and  all  advantages 
which  the  government  can  give  "  — 

"Then  you  speculate  on  human  weaknesses,  cupid- 
ity, vanity,  ambition?  " 

"  You  have  said  it.  All  the  science  of  statesmen 
worthy  of  the  name  is  summed  up  in  working  men 
through  their  vices.  To  speculate  on  virtue  is  only 
a  dream,  a  childish  illusion.  Why?  Because  in  hu- 
manity vice  always  predominates  over  virtue." 

Muse,   who  practised    after  her   own   fashion  the 


370  THE    yEW. 

maxims  of  Bavorof,  believed,  nevertheless,  that  it 
would  look  better  for  one  of  her  sex  to  appear 
shocked,  and  cried  :  — 

"  Oh,  Monsieur  le  Comte,  your  ideas  are  really 
shocking." 

"  Pardon  me,  mademoiselle,  they  were  not  said  for 
your  charming  ears." 

Pikulinski  let  fall  a  loud  "  yes,"  being  sure  that  he 
could  not  compromise  himself  this  time. 

"You  know,  however,"  replied  Muse,  "that  just 
now  most  of  our  women  are  mixed  up  in  politics. 
We  are  accustomed  to  hear  everything,  and  our  influ- 
ence is  widespread." 

"  It  is  a  misfortune.  It  does  not  well  become 
your  white  hands  to  stir  up  the  filth  of  life,  nor  to 
penetrate,  elegant  and  perfumed,  into  the  laboratory 
where  are  prepared  the  drugs  for  the  maladies  of 
humanity." 

Pikulinski  thought  this  remark  merited  a  repeated 
"  yes,  yes." 

"  You  think,  then,"  asked  Jacob,  "  that  morals 
should  have  no  part  in  the  government  of  nations?  " 

"  Morals  !  There  is  no  sense  in  the  word.  Politics 
exclude  morals." 

"  If  that  is  your  profession  of  faith,  all  discussion  is 
impossible  between  us.  I  believe  in  morality,  always 
and  everywhere,  and  every  time  that  an  injury  is  done 
to  it  I  call  on  the  justice  of  God." 

"  God  !  Justice  !  You  believe  in  that  ?  Are  you 
a  Catholic?" 


RUSSIAN  POLITICS.  371 

"  No ;  I  am  a  Jew." 

Bavorof  had  never  met  a  Jew  of  this  stamp.  He 
looked  at  him  in  astonishment,  and  asked  :  — 

"  German  Jew?  " 

"No;  Polish." 

"  Does  Poland  contain  many  Jews  who  think  and 
reason  like  you?" 

"  I  do  not  understand  the  question." 

"  I  mean  no  offence.  I  wish  to  know  if  there  are 
in  Poland  many  Israelites  who  are  polished  and 
educated." 

"  There  are  many  better  educated  and  more  pol- 
ished than  I." 

"  Then  so  much  the  better.  You  can  exercise  a 
happy  influence  over  the  people  in  curing  them  of 
their  patriotism  without  a  future,  and  of  their  super- 
annuated Catholicism.  Eliminate  the  feudal  spirit  and 
that  of  the  nobility,  and  with  these  new  conditions 
will  come  the  fusion  between  Russia  and  Poland." 

"The  Jews  who  are  preserved,  thanks  to  their 
religious  faith,  cannot  employ  themselves  by  tearing 
out  the  hearts  of  others." 

"  I  have,  then,  the  pleasure  of  talking  with  a  revolu- 
tionist." 

"  Not  at  all.  Though  there  are  circumstances 
when  men  who  were  most  opposed  to  revolution 
have  taken  part  in  them,  in  spite    of  themselves." 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  Sofronof,  interrupting  him. 
"The  truth  is  that  Poland  will  never  be  satisfied. 
Give   her  autonomy.     She  would   soon  demand  the 


372  THE    yEW. 

annexation  of  the  provinces  included  in  Russia, 
Prussia,  and  Austria.  Give  them  all  that,  and  they 
would  claim  the  ports  on  the  Baltic  and  on  the  Black 
sea." 

"  One  thing  certain,"  replied  Jacob,  "  is  that 
Russia  never  yet  has  tried  to  satisfy  Poland  in  any 
way." 

"  And  Alexander  I.  ?  "  asked  Bavorof. 

"  Alexander  I.  promised  much  and  performed  little, 
and  that  little  he  has  taken  back  again  by  the  hand 
of  his  brother,  the  Tsarevitch  Constantine." 

At  these  words  Pikulinski  was  thoroughly  fright- 
ened ;  he  was  afraid  to  breathe  even  the  same  air 
with  this  audacious  man.  He  thought  of  pretending 
to  have  the  nose-bleed  for  a  pretext  to  leaye  sud- 
denly.    However,  he  remained. 

"  And  Russia  did  wrong  to  promise  and  make  those 
concessions,"  replied  Bavorof.  "Since  1815  it  has 
been  necessary  to  uproot  and  overthrow  Polonism 
and  Catholicism.  They  must  be  replaced  by  the 
Russian  spirit  and  the  orthodox  Greek  church." 

"But,  Monsieur  le  Comte,  did  you  not  just  avow 
that  Russia's  power  is  in  her  material  force  ?  In  that 
case,  what  is  the  Russian  spirit,  and  how  shall  she 
inspire  others  with  a  spirit  which  is  actually  incom- 
patible with  strength  ?  " 

"  The  contradiction  is  not  so  apparent.  Our 
spirit  is  to  destroy  all  those  who  do  not  think  with 
us.  We  were  wrong  to  deceive  Poland  with  falla- 
cious  promises ;    between  us   it   is   a  battle   to  the 


RUSSIAN  POLITICS.  373 

death.  Her  annihilation  is  our  end,  and  always  has 
been." 

"  And  what  will  come  out  of  the  ruins?  " 

"An  enormous  Russia,  a  Russia  semi-civilized, — 
paleoslav,  democratic,  and  social,  with  a  Czar  at  the 
head.  A  republic,  if  you  will,  democ-soc,  as  they  said 
in  1848,  with  a  hereditary  president  clothed  with  dic- 
tatorial authority,  and  to  the  eyes  of  the  ignorant 
masses  of  a  sacred  and  divine  character.  I  am  a 
noble  ;  but  to  tell  the  truth,  in  Russia  nobility  does  not 
exist.  It  never  has  existed,  and  never  will.  .  All  Rus- 
sians are  equally  under  the  knout." 

This  expression  of  the  republic,  dernoc-soc,  even  in 
the  mouth  of  Bavorof,  sounded  so  badly  to  the  ears 
of  Pikulinski,  that  this  time  he  suppressed  the  "  yes," 
and,  under  pretext  of  the  nose-bleed  that  he  had  in 
reserve,  hid  his  face  in  his  handkerchief. 

Jacob,  after  taking  the  tour  of  the  salon  two  or 
three  times,  took  his  leave. 

"  Who  is  this  man?  "  asked  the  count.  "  Is  he  really 
a  Jew?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Muse ;  "  and  there  are  many  Israel- 
ites here  who  are  as  well  educated." 

"And  have  they  the  same  ideas?  " 

"  Not  by  any  means,"  replied  Sofronof,  who  had 
some  acquaintance  with  Jewish  society.  "  This  man 
is  an  exception.  He  is  an  idealist,  a  dreamer,  a  re- 
former.    An  original,  he  walks  alone." 

"  A  dangerous  man,"  muttered  Bavorof.  "  He  is 
obstinate,  no  doubt,  like  all  men  with  convictions,  im- 


374  THE   JEW. 

bued  with  a  fervent  mysticism  and  plunged  in  the 
clouds  of  spirituality.  He  sets  up  a  standard  of 
morals  and  right  that  takes  with  weak-minded  people 
everywhere ;  above  all,  the  women.  If  he  were  a 
Catholic  I  would  have  arrested  him  and  banished  him 
without  further  ceremony ;  but  he  is  only  a  Jew,  so  we 
can  have  a  little  patience." 

"At  Warsaw,"  said  Muse,  "the  Israelites  play  a 
grand  role.  It  is  difficult  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  rest  of  society  at  first  sight." 

"  But  from  what  I  have  heard  they  are  not  friends 
with  the  feudalists." 

"  It  is  not  so  ;  they  are  reconciled." 

"  That  is  a  pity.  Then  we  must  sow  discord  among 
them.     Divide  and  conquer  is  one  of  our  maxims." 

"  You  are  a  strange  politician,  dear  count,"  said 
Sofronof;  "you  think  aloud." 

"  Like  a  celebrated  minister.  To-day  it  is  the  best 
way  to  deceive  the  world.  Men  are  always  disposed 
to  attribute  to  you  ideas  contrary  to  those  which  you 
loudly  proclaim." 

Pikulinski  confirmed  this  sentence  with  two  loud 
"  yeses,"  and  went  away  wondering  if  he  could  in  any 
way  have  compromised  himself. 

One  day,  soon  after,  Bavorof  said  to  Sofronof :  — 

"  I  recommend  you,  colonel,  to  warn  the  police 
not  to  lose  sight  of  this  Jew,  Jacob.  "  He  displeases 
me.  He  sees  through  our  plots.  There  are  only  two 
alternatives :  to  oblige  him  to  serve  us,  or  to  send 
him  to  Penza." 


RUSSIAN  POLITICS. 


375 


"What  good  would  that  do?  His  is  an  open 
nature,  from  which  we  have  nothing  to  fear.  He  is 
wrapped  up  in  the  Talmud  and  his  innocent  mania  of 
playing  the  prophet." 

"As  for  me,  I  despise  his  prophecy.     Is  he  rich?  " 

"Very  rich." 

" So  much  the  worse.     Ambitious?" 

"Not  the  least  in  the  world." 

"  Still  worse.     Is  he  a  coward  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  so." 

"In  that  case  to  Penza  !     To  Penza  !  " 

"  But  he  is  not  a  revolutionist." 

"  That  is  still  worse.  Sooner  or  later  a  revolution- 
ist will  change  his  skin.  A  revolutionist  can  be  dealt 
with;  but  a  liberal,  a  legalist,  a  moralist,  who  believes 
in  men's  rights,  this  is  a  dangerous  animal.  Give  me 
individuals  like  Pikulinski,  malleable  to  our  will,  and  I 
will  place  them  in  the  centre  of  our  social  organism. 
We  can  control  them,  and,  with  the  rabble  at  our  feet, 
all  will  go  smoothly.     Hurrah  !  " 


376  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


THE    SEDUCER. 


Jacob  was  absorbed  in  the  study  of  the  works  of 
Maimonides,  when  his  servant  brought  him  a  visiting- 
card. 

This  servant  had  replaced  him  who  had  so  rudely 
received  his  master's  mother,  and  who,  on  account  of 
her,  had  left  Jacob's  service,  with  tears  in  his  eyes, 
but  too  proud  to  serve  a  country-woman  in  Jewish 
costume. 

The  visiting-card  bore  a  name  engraved  indistinct- 
ly. Without  deciphering  the  name,  Jacob  received 
his  visitor.  He  frowned  when  he  recognized  David 
Seebach  the  younger,  the  seducer  of  Lia.  He  was 
dressed  richly,  but  in  bad  taste,  with  a  cane  in  his 
hand,  an  eye-glass  at  his  eye,  and  a  smile  on  his  lips. 
Jacob  received  him  coldly,  and,  with  a  wave  of  the 
hand,  indicated  a  chair.  David  seated  himself,  put 
the  end  of  his  cane  in  his  mouth,  adjusted  his  eye-glass, 
and  spoke  in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  My  presence  at  your  house  is  perhaps  a  surprise, 
for  you  gained,  I  fear,  a  bad  impression  of  us  on  our 
last  interview.  We  were  very  sorry,  my  father  and  I, 
not  to  have  been  able  to  conceal  that  unfortunate 
exile  for  you,  but  " — 


THE    SEDUCER. 


377 


"  I  do  not  blame  you  for  that.  Every  one  has  a 
right  to  act  as  he  pleases." 

"  Since  then  I  have  thought  it  over,  and  I  admit 
that  I  was  in  the  wrong.  Your  reasoning  was  just  at 
all  points.  We  must  follow  the  current ;  we  must  side 
with  Poland.  My  father  and  I,  however,  do  not  think 
alike,  on  account  of  his  former  relations.  He  remains 
in  the  Russian  camp,  while  I  take  the  side  of  the 
Poles.     Thus  we  are  safe  in  any  case." 

"As  you  please,"  said  Jacob,  in  an  indifferent  tone. 

"You  are  on  their  side,  are  you  not?  "  asked  David. 

"  I  am  for  Poland,  but  I  am  not  a  revolutionist." 

"  As  for  myself,  I  have  made  the  acquaintance  of 
the  principal  agitators.  I  attend  all  the  meetings,  and 
I  will  aid  the  revolutionists,  for  there  is  money  to  be 
made  by  so  doing.  As  a  measure  of  precaution  I 
have  put  all  my  property  in  a  safe  place  across  the 
frontier,  so  that  in  case  I  am  taken  the  Russians  can 
get  nothing,  and  my  father  can  save  me  from  the  hands 
of  the  police  through  the  protection  of  the  high  func- 
tionaries with  whom  he  is  in  favour.  The  patriots 
will  need  capital  to  procure  arms  at  the  Austrian  fron- 
tier. I  will  accommodate  them,  and  the  profits  will 
be  worth  running  a  little  risk." 

"Excuse  me,"  interrupted  Jacob.  "I  do  not  wish 
to  meddle  in  such  business." 

"  How  is  that  ?  Have  you  not  said  that  you  sym- 
pathize with  Poland,  and  did  you  not  reproach  us 
for  being  opposed  to  it?  " 

"  Listen  to  me,  my  good   David.     If  I  am   Polish, 


378  THE    JEW. 

it  is  not  from  love  of  lucre,  not  for  fear,  but  from 
conviction." 

"I  am  equally  patriotic  at  heart,"  said  David.  "I 
sing  the  recent  hymns  which  ask  God  to  manifest  his 
power  against  the  secular  enemy.  I  believed  that  you 
would  aid  me  to  conduct  my  business  to  a  successful 
termination ;  for  to  speak  frankly,  as  I  am  a  new  con- 
vert the  patriots  have  not  yet  entire  confidence  in  me. 
Your  recommendation  would  have  weight,  and  you  can 
share  the  profits." 

At  these  words  Jacob  rang,  and  the  servant  ap- 
peared immediately. 

"  You  see  this  gentleman,"  said  the  master. 
"Look  at  him  well  so  as  to  recognize  him." 

"Monsieur,  I  will  remember  him." 

"  Very  well.  If  he  ever  presents  himself  here  again 
you  will  not  admit  him." 

David  arose,  frightened  and  furious. 

"  Be  careful  how  you  treat  me,  my  dear  Jacob," 
said  he,  as  he  left.  "  I  have  your  life  in  my  hands, 
and  I  will  be  revenged." 

After  this  scene  Jacob's  brow  was  bathed  in  a  cold 
sweat,  and  he  fell  on  a  couch  nearly  prostrated.  He 
was  aroused  by  the  arrival  of  Lia's  servant,  who  said 
that  her  mistress  begged  him  to  come  immediately  to 
St.  George's  street.  He  called  a  carriage  and  has- 
tened to  the  dwelling  of  David's  victim. 

Near  the  house  he  perceived  a  veiled  woman,  who 
seemed  agitated  on  seeing  him,  and  leaned  against  the 
wall  as  if  faint.     Then  she  rapidly  disappeared  around 


THE    SEDUCER.  379 

the  corner.  Something  about  this  woman  reminded 
him  of  Mathilde. 

What  if  it  was  she  ! 

This  thought  could  be  imaginary  only,  and  Jacob 
did  not  entertain  it  for  a  moment.  Lia,  all  in  tears, 
ran  to  meet  him  for  whom  she  had  waited  impa- 
tiently. 

"Oh  !"  cried  she,  "that  wretch  has  been  here;  he 
has  dared  to  look  at  my  child.  Save  me  from  him  ! 
He  has  threatened  to  return.  I  will  not  see  him.  I 
do  not  know  him." 

"  Be  quiet.  You  have  nothing  to  fear.  Did  he 
tell  you  why  he  came?  Perhaps  he  is  divorced  from 
his  wife,  and  he  wishes  to  marry  you." 

"  Then  I  will  refuse ;  but  he  cannot  give  his  wife 
the  Ghet,  for  he  knows  not  where  she  is.  And  as  for 
me,  I  have  taken  an  Issar.  I  have  sworn  never  to 
marry  the  man  who  caused  the  tears  of  my  father  and 
my  mother." 

Wrath  and  contempt  gave  to  Lia's  face  a  wonder- 
ful beauty.     She  continued  :  — 

"  May  my  child  be  among  the  Asufim,  the  Piggum, 
and  the  Schetukim,  rather  than  bear  the  name  of  his 
miserable  father  !  " 

Jacob  made  vain  efforts  to  calm  her,  and  said  :  — 

"  I  do  not  approve  of  your  Issar.  The  child  needs 
a  father,  and  the  marriage  would  justify  you  in  your 
parents'  eyes." 

All  at  once  they  heard  David's  voice  in  the  ante- 
chamber.    Lia   snatched  her  child  from  its  cradle 


380  THE    JEW. 

and  fled  to  another  room,  and  Jacob  was  left  alone. 
The  door  opened  violently  and  the  seducer  rushed 
into  the  room,  his  face  purple  with  rage.  He  was 
stupefied  to  find  in  Lia's  visitor  one  whom  he  had 
not  expected  to  meet  again  so  soon.  After  a 
moment's  silence  his  anger  returned,  and  with 
drawn  sword  he  rushed  on  his  enemy,  but  his  cool- 
ness and  the  heavy  cane  which  Jacob  presented  kept 
him  at  a  distance.  He  lowered  his  arm  and  mut- 
tered some  unintelligible  words. 

"Why  do  you  come  here?"  asked  Jacob,  with  a 
firm  voice. 

"And  you?  " 

"  I  am  here  at  the  request  of  Lia's  father,  with  all 
the  rights  of  a  guardian." 

"  And  I  come  to  see  my  child." 

"  Neither  the  mother  nor  the  child  belong  to  you. 
Have  you  given  them  your  name  ?  Have  you  shielded 
them  from  shame,  misery,  and  malediction?" 

"  I  intend  to  divorce  my  wife  and  marry  Lia.  I 
must  speak  with  her.     Why  do  you  hinder  me?  " 

"  I  consent  that  she  sees  you  in  my  presence,  if 
she  wish.     Otherwise,  no." 

"  She  ought  to  be  willing,  for  I  hold  her  fate  in 
my  hands." 

He  had  hardly  ceased  speaking  when  Lia  opened 
the  door  and  entered,  her  features  convulsed  with 
aversion  and  contempt.  She  was  superb  in  her 
scorn,  and  David  trembled  as  he  regarded  her.  She 
hesitated  an  instant,  then  cried  :  — 


THE   SEDUCER.  381 

"  Between  you  and  me  there  is  no  longer  anything 
in  common.  I  declare,  before  this  witness,  that  I 
will  never  be  your  wife,  and  I  forbid  you  to  call  your- 
self my  child's  father.  May  my  tears,  my  sobs,  my 
sufferings,  my  sleepless  nights,  and  the  disgrace  that 
I  have  brought  to  my  family  bring  down  upon  your 
head  divine  wrath  !  May  you  be  tortured  by  demons, 
and  may  Dumah  invent  for  you  new  torments  !  " 

In  the  midst  of  these  imprecations  her  eyes  became 
suddenly  fixed  in  her  head.  Her  arm  appeared 
paralyzed  and  her  legs  sank  under  her ;  a  froth  came 
from  her  mouth,  and  with  a  convulsive  laugh  and 
piercing  cries  she  fell  senseless. 

David  fled  from  the  house,  his  face  covered  with 
his  hands.  The  maid  ran  for  a  physician,  who,  on 
his  arrival,  said  that  it  was  not  an  ordinary  fainting, 
but  a  dangerous  attack  of  apoplexy.  All  remedies 
used  in  such  cases  were  employed,  but  the  stricken 
one  did  not  regain  consciousness  until  toward  even- 
ing, when  she  heard  her  child  cry.  She  extended 
her  arms  to  him,  but  her  strength  failed  anew. 
Jacob  watched  by  her  bedside  until  daybreak. 


382  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER     XXV. 

BETWEEN   TWO    FIRES. 

Overcome  with  lassitude,  Jacob,  after  returning 
home,  threw  himself  on  a  couch,  and  was  just  going 
to  sleep  when  the  voice  of  Ivas  awakened  him.  The 
young  man,  despite  the  efforts  of  the  servant  to  bar 
the  passage  at  such  an  early  hour,  had  forced  his  way 
into  Jacob's  room.  He  wore  a  heavy  hunting-coat, 
and  carried  on  his  shoulders  a  haversack.  Heavy 
boots  completed  his  costume,  and  his  bearing  ex- 
pressed ardour  and  energy. 

"  We  are  to-day,"  commenced  he  without  pre- 
amble, "  in  opposite  camps.  But  I  have  not  forgotten 
that  I  owe  my  return  to  Poland  to  you,  and  probably 
my  life  also,  for  your  helping  hand  drew  me  from  the 
deepest  misery.  I  come  to  thank  you  for  the  last 
time,  and  to  bid  you  an  eternal  adieu." 

"Why  that?" 

"  To-day  I  go  directly  to  the  forest.  Our  insurrec- 
tion may  last  some  days,  and  it  may  last  for  years. 
We  shall  march,  armed  with  batons,  against  the 
regular  troops.  The  forests  will  serve  us  for  camp, 
fortress,  and  arsenal.  We  shall  march,  scoffed  at  by 
some  and  cursed  by  others,  and  accompanied  by  the 
tears  of  the  women  who  love  us  and  whom  we  love. 


BETWEEN    TWO    FIRES.  383 

We  will  advance  with  despair  in  our  souls,  ever 
forward  ! " 

"Why  are  you  so  hopeless?" 

"Because  the  young  men  who  had  confidence  in 
us  have  been  torn  from  us,  and  compelled  to  put  on 
the  uniform  of  the  Muscovite  soldier.  We  must  save 
them  or  die  !  You  see  I  have  no  illusions.  I  know 
that  I  risk  my  life,  and  that  perhaps  in  the  future  we 
may  be  accused  of  presumption,  of  folly,  of  puerile 
enthusiasm.  No  matter.  National  honour  com- 
mands it,  and  I  obey.  For  the  last  time,  Jacob,  I 
who  am  so  near  death  adjure  you  not  to  be  a  traitor 
to  your  country,  not  to  work  against  us." 

"  Who  has  dared  to  accuse  me  of  treason?  "  cried 
Jacob. 

"  This  accusation  has  been  circulated.  Perhaps  they 
wish  to  make  a  striking  example.  I  will  no  longer  be 
there  to  defend  you,  and  you  will  fall  a  victim  to  your 
own  obstinacy." 

"  Why  I,  rather  than  another  ?  Have  I  ever  made 
you  any  promises  that  I  have  not  kept?" 

"  You  have  enemies,  and  very  dangerous  ones.  They 
accuse  you  of  secret  relations  with  the  Russians,  here 
on  the  first  floor,  at  the  rooms  of  your  betrothed." 

"  My  betrothed  !  I  have  none.  She  of  whom  you 
speak  will  never  be  anything  to  me." 

"  But  you  go  there,  and  you  also  go  to  Henri 
Segel's,  who  is  in  very  bad  odour  with  us.  You  openly 
speak  against  us  ;  and,  lastly,  you  refused  to  pay  that 
money  to  us." 


384  THE    JEW. 

Jacob  smiled  sadly. 

"  Singular  destiny,"  said  he.  "  I  have  enemies,  and 
many  of  them  ;  I,  who  am  no  man's  enemy.  But  you, 
Ivas,  you  do  not  mistrust  me?" 

"  No,  I  honour  your  character ;  I  esteem  you ;  I 
have  defended  you,  and  I  will  continue  to  do  so ;  but 
the  great  majority  of  my  companions  think  other- 
wise." 

"  Let  us  talk  no  more  of  me.  I  am  prepared  for 
the  worst.  But  tell  me,  is  it  not  possible  to  delay  the 
insurrection?  " 

"  It  is  impossible,  and  in  my  turn  I  also  ask  you  to 
speak  of  something  else." 

He  was  just  going,  when  Kruder,  all  out  of  breath, 
rushed  into  the  apartment. 

"Ah  !  you  are  here,"  said  he  to  Ivas;  "  at  last  I 
have  found  you.  I  see  by  your  accoutrements  that 
you  are  off.  It  is  too  soon,  too  soon,  do  you  hear? 
In  Heaven's  name  do  not  act  prematurely  and 
unreflectingly." 

"  I  suppose  you  would  advise  us  to  wait  until  the 
Russians  seize  us?" 

"You  will  all  perish  if  you  commence  now." 

"  So  be  it.     At  least  our  blood  will  be  prolific." 

"  Listen  to  the  voice  of  reason." 

"We  prefer  to  listen  to  that  of  despair.  Have  you 
witnessed  any  of  the  scenes  provoked-  by  the  noc- 
turnal recruiting,  when  our  men  have  been  seized  and 
forced  into  the  Russian  army?  Have  you  heard  the 
prayers  of  the  young  men  torn   from  their  mothers' 


BETWEEN    TWO    FIRES.  385 

arms?  Do  you  know  what  it  is  to  be  a  Russian 
soldier?" 

"  I  know  all ;  but  this  is  a  supreme  moment,  and 
your  action  will  involve  the  salvation  or  the  loss  of 
the  country.  Your  passion  is  only  a  heroic  egotism. 
Once  more  I  call  you  to  reason." 

"  Say  no  more,  Kruder.  Folly  is  our  reason,  our 
watchword.     And  now,  farewell,  Jacob." 

Ivas  and  Kruder  left  at  the  same  time,  and  Mann, 
who  had  just  arrived,  met  them  in  the  antechamber. 
He  was  struck  with  the  appearance  of  the  two  men. 
The  younger  man's  dress  shocked  him.  It  had  been 
for  some  days  the  sign  of  suspected  revolutionists. 

He  sank  down  in  an  arm-chair,  while  Jacob,  sur- 
prised in  the  midst  of  his  toilet,  dressed  himself. 

"  I  come,"  said  he,  "  as  your  guardian's  friend  and 
your  well-wisher,  although  I  know  you  dislike  me,  to 
give  you  a  salutary  warning.  It  is  useless  for  you  to 
try  to  deceive  me,  or  to  resort  to  falsehoods." 

"  I  never  lie,  either  to  you  or  to  any  one  else. 
Learn  this,  monsieur ;  it  is  true  that  I  do  not  see  the 
necessity  of  boasting  to  every  one,  but  I  never  say 
anything  I  do  not  mean." 

"  If  that  is  so,  perhaps  we  can  come  to  an  under- 
standing. I  will  show  you  my  hand.  You  are,  with- 
out flattery,  a  prominent  figure  in  Jewish  society; 
your  education  and  your  fortune  assure  you  an  envia- 
ble position.  That  is  why  you  are  not  absolute 
master  of  your  acts,  of  which  the  responsibility  be- 
longs to  the  class  you  represent.     In  compromising 


■■-,. 


386  THE    JEW. 

yourself,  you  compromise  us.  The  government  watches 
men  of  your  stamp,  and  we  are  judged  by  your  con- 
duct. Every  one  is  talking  of  your  discussion  at  Ma- 
dame Wtorkowska's  with  Count  Bavorof  and  Colonel 
Sofronof.  Pikulinski  has  spread  it  in  the  city.  And 
what  did  those  two  men  want  that  just  left  here? 
Evidently  you  are  being  induced  to  take  part  with  the 
revolutionists.  What  folly  !  If  it  only  endangered 
yourself  it  would  not  matter  so  much,  but  it  can  in- 
jure us  who  belong  to  the  same  society  as  you." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  *  asked  Jacob  impatiently. 

"  It  is  enough,  I  think.  What  was  the  tenor  of 
your  conversation  with  Bavorof,  the  remembrance  of 
which  has  made  Pikulinski's  very  hair  stand  on  end?  " 

"  Do  you  know  the  counsellor  of  state?  " 

"  Certainly  !  He  is  an  ass  in  every  sense  of  the 
word." 

"  And  you  take  notice  of  his  judgment?  " 

"  Because  Bavorof,  also,  thinks  you  a  dangerous 
man.  And  this  young  man  in  revolutionary  costume, 
with  his  great  boots,  what  was  he  doing  here  ?  A  con- 
spirator, probably." 

"  You  are  mistaken.  He  came  to  warn  me  to  be 
on  my  guard,  for  I  am  threatened  with  death  from  his 
party.  You  see  how  that  agrees  with  your  accusa- 
tion." 

"  That  proves  that  you  lack  tact.  You  are,  then, 
suspected  by  both  parties." 

"  It  is  often  the  fate  of  a  conscientious  man  to 
bring  upon  himself  the  condemnation  of  all,  because 


BETWEEN    TWO    FIRES.  3S7 

he  tells  the  bitter  truth  to  both  without  shrinking 
under  their  threats  or  trying  to  gain  favours.  I  am 
one  of  those  men  who  act  according  to  their  con- 
victions, and  I  will  not  abandon  them  to  please  you." 
Then  he  added  in  Hebrew  :  — 

" '  Happy  he  who  dies  as  he  was  born,  pure  and 
without  stain.'  "     (Baba  Mezzia,  107.  a.) 

Mann  threw  upon  him  a  look  of  ironical  compas- 
sion that  might  be  literally  translated  :  A  fool  you 
have  lived,  a  fool  you  will  die. 

"  Really,"  said  he,  "  there  is  nothing  to  be  done 
with  a  man  who  quotes  the  Talmud  when  one  is 
talking  business.  You  wish,  then,  to  be  incarcerated 
in  the  citadel?  And  we  shall  suffer  more  or  less 
from  having  been  intimate  with  you.  That  is  the 
worst  of  it."  * 

"What  can  I  do?" 

"  You  say  that  you  are  not  a  revolutionist?  " 

"  Truly,  I  am  not." 

"  Very  well,  take  sides  with  those  who  oppose  the 
revolution." 

"  But  they  are  not  content  with  fighting  them 
legally.  They  add  to  it  arbitrary  terrorism,"  said 
Jacob. 

"  Of  two  evils  choose  the  lesser." 

"  Yes ;  the  evil  is  in  the  two  extremes,  or  rather  the 
two  extremes  meet  and  form  one  evil.  Despotism 
above,  despotism  below.  I  will  serve  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other.     I  am  between  the  two." 

"  I  congratulate  you  on   the  excellent  means  you 


388  THE    JEW. 

have  taken  to  ruin  yourself.  I  am  really  sorry  for 
you.  The  best  thing  for  you  in  your  frame  of  mind 
is  to  depart  for  foreign  lands." 

"  You  would  advise  me,  then,  to  desert,  when  my 
duty  orders  me,  in  this  difficult  crisis  which  has  over- 
taken Poland,  to  remain  and  do  what  I  can  for  truth 
and  justice.  If  I  embarrass  you,"  added  he  laughing, 
"  you  can  blow  out  my  brains  for  the  public  good." 

"  Unfortunately  that  is  not  practicable.  We  should 
be  implicated  in  an  assassination.  Well,  if  you  will 
not  go  away,  at  least  shut  yourself  up,  and  do  not  go 
on  the  streets." 

"  Then  they  will  say  that  I  am  a  conspirator." 

"  Meet  only  Russians." 

"  I  will  irritate  them  by  my  remarks." 

"  Be  silent,  then." 

"  I  must  speak." 

"  May  Dumah  and  a  million  devils  catch  you  at 
last !  "  cried  Mann,  rushing  toward  the  door.  "  Fare- 
well !  " 


THE    RECONCILIATION.  389 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

THE    RECONCILIATION. 

It  was  a  sad  day  for  Jacob,  for  many  reasons.  His 
friend  had  left  him  for  almost  certain  death.  A  rude 
person  had  come  to  weary  him  with  reproaches  and 
complaints,  and  then  followed  a  message  from  Saint 
George's  street  to  hasten,  as  the  invalid  was  in  the  last 
extremity.  When  he  arrived,  she  was  no  longer  of 
this  world.     Lia  had  breathed  her  last. 

There  remained  the  orphan  :  what  should  he  do 
with  him?  To  whom  confide  him?  Jacob  thought 
of  his  mother  at  first ;  the  good  woman  blushed  ;  she 
attributed  the  parentage  to  Jacob,  and  in  order  to 
satisfy  her  scruples,  he  was  obliged  to  relate  to  her  the 
whole  sad  history. 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  she  ;  "  but  will  others  believe 
it?  Seeing  the  child  under  your  protection,  what 
calumnies,  think  you,  will  be  circulated?" 

"  Is  it  necessary,  then,  that  I  leave  this  poor  inno- 
cent to  hirelings?  And  ought  I  to  refuse  to  do  my 
duty  for  fear  of  unjust  criticism?" 

"  The  child  will  never  again  find  a  mother,  but  I 
will  place  him  in  good  hands.  I  will  not  hinder  you 
from  doing  a  good  action,  but   I  will  save   you  from 


390  THE    JEW. 

the  blame  which  might  attach  to  your  good  name. 
You  may  leave  it  to  me,"  said  his  mother. 

In  his  present  mood,  Jacob  felt  instinctively  drawn 
toward  Mathilde,  and  late  in  the  evening  he  directed 
his  steps  to  her  house.  The  servants,  accustomed  to 
see  him  enter  unannounced,  opened  the  doors  of  the 
salon.  He  waited  there  for  some  time,  looking  at 
the  closed  piano,  the  stiffly-arranged  furniture,  and 
the  withered  flowers  in  the  vases.  Everything  bore 
that  air  of  desolation  found  in  houses  that  have 
been  closed  for  some  time. 

Clad  in  a  long,  trained  peignoir,  Mathilde  appeared, 
gliding  like  a  shadow,  with  slow  and  measured  steps. 
She  was  very  much  changed  since  he  last  saw  her. 
Her  eyes  shone  with  a  feverish  fire,  and  her  cheeks 
were  sunken.  Her  former  soft  lassitude  had  become 
a  torpor.  She  offered  him  a  cold,  trembling  hand. 
Jacob  understood  by  this  reception  that  here  as  else- 
where he  had  been  slandered  j  but,  happily,  he  was 
one  of  those  characters  whose  clear  conscience  fortify 
them  against  all  contumely. 

"Have  I  come  at  an  inopportune  moment?"  said 
he.     "  In  that  case,  I  will  go." 

"'No.  You  could  not  arrive  more  opportunely.  I 
was  anxious  to  see  you,  monsieur." 

"You  are  ill." 

"  Not  the  least  in  the  world." 

"  Well,  Mathilde,  so  many  unfortunate  things  have 
happened  to  me  lately,  that  I  come  to  you  to  comfort 
my  tortured  heart." 


THE    RECONCILIATION.  391 

"Your  heart?     It  is  in  the  Old  Testament." 

"  I  do  not  understand  yQu.     Do  you  doubt  me  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  I  do  not  know.  This  doubt  is  killing  me.  I 
wish  to  know  all  the  worst ;  then  I  can  die.  You  used 
to  be  frank  and  sincere.  Why  do  you  deceive  me 
now,  like  the  others?  " 

"This  is  too  much,  Mathilde,"  said  Jacob. 

"  Oh  !  I  have  proofs  of  your  deceit,"  cried  she. 
"  Would  it  not  be  better  to  confide  in  me  as  a  sister, 
and  say,  '  I  love  another,  I  am  tired  of  contact  with 
a  corpse.  I  wish  a  living  creature  :  ?  I  would  have 
answered  you  thus  :  '  Go,  be  happy  ! '  In  losing  you  I 
would  at  least  have  kept  my  respect  for  you." 

*i  Why  do  you  not  respect  me  now?  " 

"  What !  you  dare  to  deny  it?  " 

"  Mathilde,"  replied  Jacob  gravely,  "  I  assure  you 
I  have  done  nothing  to  merit  these  reproaches.  I 
have  never  been  guilty  of  forgetting  you." 

"  How  explain,  then,  your  mysterious  adventure ; 
that  woman,  who  is  she?  " 

"  You  shall  hear  the  truth,"  said  Jacob.  "  Listen  !  " 
He  then  related  the  dark  drama  of  which  Lia  was  the 
heroine,  not  omitting  the  scene  of  the  previous  even- 
ing and -the  morning's  death.  The  poor  girl's  fate 
made  Mathilde  weep,  but  at  the  same  time  she  felt 
proud  and  happy.  Her  beloved  was  worthy  of  her 
deepest  respect.  When  he  had  finished  she  could 
hardly  refrain  from  throwing  herself  at  Jacob's  feet 
and  asking  pardon  for   her  unjust  suspicions. 

"  Forgive  me,"  she  cried,  "  for  my  foolish  credu- 


392  THE    JEW. 

lity.  But  the  calumny  was  so  well  devised  that  it  had 
all  the  appearance  of  truth:  It  was  repeated  to  me 
as  undoubtedly  true." 

"  One  thing  astonishes  me  :  it  is  that  you  did  not 
come  to  me  about  it  immediately.  You  were  wrong 
not  to  demand  an  explanation." 

"  A  long  and  frightful  torture  has  punished  me  for 
my  hesitation.  The  days  that  have  passed  since  then 
have  been  the  bitterest  of  my  existence.  Your  sup- 
posed infidelity  poisoned  all  remembrances  of  the 
past,  and  I  tried  to  tear  your  image  from  my  heart." 

"  I  could  not  have  foreseen  that  a  good  action 
would  have  had  such  direful  consequences,"  said  Jacob 
sadly. 

"  How  happy  would  I  be  could  I  adopt  the 
orphan  !  Unfortunately,  in  this  house  I  am  a  slave,  a 
prisoner.  I  am  respected,  it  is  true,  and  the  master 
surrounds  me  with  luxury  to  gratify  his  vanity ;  he 
strews  flowers  on  my  path  to  dazzle  the  world ;  but  in 
the  midst  of  this  perfumed  atmosphere  I  am  a  captive, 
and  very  often  envy  the  working  women  who  live  by 
labour,  or  in  their  poverty  beg  upon  the  streets.  For 
a  long  time  I  have  been  abandoned.  Henri  Segel 
divides  his  days  between  the  Russians  and  Muse. 
When  I  feel  very  ill  the  physician  comes  here. 
Sometimes  a"  beggar  appears,  and,  you  will  not  believe 
it,  under  this  exterior  wealth  I  am  often  without 
money,  without  a  sou  to  give  for  charity." 

She  sighed,  and  continued  :  — 

"  To-day  I  live  again ;  my  soul  is  at   peace  once 


THE   RECONCILIATION. 


393 


more.  I  have  been  given  back  the  only  man  in  the 
world  who  makes  me  love  humanity  and  believe  in 
virtue." 

Their  conversation  was  continued  for  a  long  time. 
Tea  was  served  at  the  usual  hour,  and  the  English- 
woman arrived,  but  she  had  a  bad  cold  and  her  pres- 
ence was  a  constraint.  Absorbed  in  each  other,  they 
forgot  the  world.  Mathilde  went  to  the  piano,  which 
had  been  closed  for  several  days,  and  the  celebration 
of  their  reconciliation  ended  with  the  polonaise  of 
Chopin  (A-dur). 

When  Jacob  found  himself  some  distance  down  the 
street  he  went  back  to  look  at  the  house  he  had  just 
left  as  if  he  had  a  presentiment  of  not  returning. 


394  THE   7&W. 


CHAPTER     XXVII. 

JACOB    IN    FLIGHT. 

Warsaw  presented  a  strange  sight.  From  all  its 
doors  the  population  hurried  toward  the  forests.  The 
combat  had  been  precipitated,  and  they  rushed  eagerly 
to  death. 

The  Russians  paid  no  attention  to  this  exodus. 
They  did  not  wish  to  oppose  it. 

At  the  Chateau  de  Briihl  they  repeated  the  saying : 
"When  the  abscess  is.  ripe  it  must  surely  burst!" 
The  cold-blooded  authorities  did  not  say  that  this 
abscess  was  the  result  of  a  purulent  malady,  engendered 
by  unbridled  oppression.  They  cared  neither  for  the 
suffering  which  it  produced  in  ripening,  nor  for  the 
blood  which  was  lost  in  bursting. 

In  the  interior  of  the  capital  everything  seemed  to 
be  in  a  normal  condition.  Only  the  initiated  recog- 
nized in  the  streets  the  gladiators  vowed  to  death, 
for  the  fever  in  their  souls  was  concealed  by  a  deceit- 
ful calm.  From  time  to  time,  rumours  were  secretly 
circulated  that  companies  had  been  formed  under  the 
very  nose  of  the  Russian  troops,  that  Muscovite  de- 
tachments had  been  beaten,  that  the  insurgents  had 
taken  such  a  village,  that  here  and  there  the  national 


JACOB    IN  FLIGHT.  395 

flag  had  been  ostentatiously  displayed  and  the  revo- 
lutionary government  proclaimed. 

Gromof  alone  persisted  in  declaring  the  revolution- 
ary movement  premature,  and  sought  to  check  the 
torrent.  Vain  efforts ;  the  dikes  were  broken,  and 
the  rallying  word  was  "  Liberty  or  death  !  " 

Thoughtful  men,  however,  foresaw  the  imminent 
explosion  of  Muscovite  vengeance.  A  barbarous  and 
savage  repression  began,  like  that  of  1 794,  in  the  time 
of  Kosciusko.  Then  some  concealed  themselves  in  the 
thickets,  while  others  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  police. 
Houses  were  searched,  and  in  some  cases  destroyed) 
during  the  hunt  for  insurgents.  R<$)fs  were  broken 
in  and  floors  pulled  up,  and  often,  in  default  of  find- 
ing the  guilty,  the  innocent  were  made  to  suffer  in 
their  stead.  The  citadel  was  crowded  with  prisoners. 
Every  day  files  of  the  unfortunates^ including  nobles 
of  high  degree,  left  for  Siberia,  and  chains  commenced 
to  be  lacking,  so  many  were  imprisoned. 

And  during  these  horrors  the  groves  put  forth  joy- 
ously their  green  leaves,  the  turf  was  carpeted  with 
flowers,  and  the  lark  sang  in  the  clear  azure  heaven ; 
but  the  doom  of  the  destroyer  was  over  all. 

Russia  prepared  her  saturnalias  to  celebrate  a  defi- 
nite victory.  By  hundreds  of  thousands  the  soldiers 
tracked  the  insurgents,  who  were  scattered  in  bands 
without  camps,  without  money,  without  arms  or 
powder.  Yet  victory  was  delayed  for  a  whole 
year. 

One    might    attribute    the    rage    of    the    Russian 


396  THE    JEW. 

government  to  the  humiliation  of  the  army,  if  the 
slowness  of  the  manoeuvres  had  not,  as  we  have 
already  said,  been  premeditated.  The  Russians 
wished  to  crush  Poland,  but  they  wished  it  to  ap- 
pear as  if  the  revolution  had  been  entirely  a  surprise. 
Since  1863  her  vengeance  had  increased  in  ferocity, 
redoubled  under  a  thousand  pretexts.  Her  cruelty 
had  now  become  systematic.  And  the  civilized 
world  assisted  at  this  frightful  execution  by  looking 
on  with  cold  indifference  at  such  sufferings. 

Jacob  saw  in  his  imagination  the  dark  future  of 
Poland,  —  a  future  become  a  perpetual  present.  He 
was  almost  desperate  at  his  impotency  to  stay  the 
impending  disaster.  To  despair,  succeeded  apathy. 
What  good  was  life,  thought  he,  without  high  aim. 
And,  alas,  all  the  ways  towards  this  end  were  closed 
to  him !  He  tried  vainly  to  become  absorbed  in 
reading,  but  his  brain  seemed  congealed.  A  heavy 
slumber  like  a  lethargy  overtook  him.  When  he 
opened  his  eyes  the  lamp  was  out,  and  the  morning 
light  filled  the  room.  He  opened  the  windows.  The 
sky  was  sad  and  sombre,  like  his  soul.  In  the  silence 
of  the  new-born  day  he  heard  steps  on  his  staircase ; 
some  one  knocked  at  his  door.  He  opened  the 
door,  and  a  man  quickly  entered.  A  long  cloak 
covered  him  completely,  and  his  hat  was  drawn  over 
his  eyes.     It  was  Kruder. 

"You  know  all,  do  you  not?  Then  you  are  all 
ready?"  cried  he. 

"All  — what?" 


JACOB    IN   FLIGHT.  397 

"  There's  not  a  minute  to  lose.  It  is  four  o'clock. 
You  have  an  hour  and  a  half,  or  two  hours  at  the 
most,  before  you." 

"  What  is  it,  then?  "  asked  Jacob. 

"There  is  no  use  beating  about  the  bush  with  a 
man  like  you.  In  two  hours  they  are  coming  to 
arrest  you." 

"Why?" 

"  One  never  knows  why  in  these  times.  I  bring 
you  a  passport.  I  procured  it  yesterday,  before  the 
authorities  at  the  chateau  had  warned  the  police 
against  passports.     Come,  do  not  tarry  !  " 

"Where  shall  I  go?" 

"Where  you  will." 

"Would  it  not  be  possible  for  me  to  wait,  and 
prove  myself  innocent?  " 

"You  jest!  They  would  answer  you  by  sending 
you  to  the  extreme  borders  of  the  Russian  empire. 
They  are  doing  it  every  day." 

"Be  it  so  !     They  would  send  me  back." 

"And  you  would  submit  to  Russian  brutality  when 
you  can  avoid  it?" 

"  To  leave  my  country  at  such  a  supreme  moment 
would  be  to  compromise  my  Israelite  acquaintances, 
which  Mann  has  recently  reproached  me  for.  I  would 
be  accused  also  of  cowardly  motives,  of  excessive 
prudence,  of  calculating  egotism,  and  my  flight  would 
justify  the  accusation." 

"The  moments  are  precious.  Keep  yourself  for 
better  times.      Captivity  would   ruin  you,  and  unfit 


398  '      THE    JEW. 

you  for  the  future.  The  insurrection  is  strengthening. 
No  one  can  foresee  the  result.  European  diplomacy 
may  interfere.  It  is  true  that  the  uprising  is  prema- 
ture, but  it  is  possible  that  this  time  they  may  obtain 
some  concessions.  You  can  be  useful  to  us.  Keep 
your  intelligence,  your  relations,  and  your  fortune  for 
Poland." 

"  Intelligence  falsified  by  mysticism.  Every  one 
says  '  relations,'  but  with  whom  ?  My  ideas  are  always 
in  contradiction  with  those  around  me ;  there  remains 
to  me  only  a  fortune.     Alone,  whom  can  I  serve?  " 

"  Come  on  !  This  is  no  time  for  pessimism.  You 
must  decide." 

"  My  resolution  is  taken.  I  will  go  and  make  my 
farewells  to  my  mother,  and  leave  her  in  charge  of 
the  house.  I  will  go  far  away,  and  there  reflect  as  to 
what  is  the  best  course  to  pursue.  I  can  give  myself 
up  to  the  gendarmes  at  any  time,  but  not  just  yet.  I 
will  accompany  you.  Do  you  know  of  a  safe  place 
for  a  few  hours?  " 

"  Yes.     Come  with  me." 

Jacob  lost  no  time  in  changing  his  clothes  and  ran 
to  embrace  his  mother.  He  filled  his  pocket-book 
with  bank-notes,  and  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later  was 
in  the  streets  with  Kruder.  By  many  devious  ways 
they  arrived  at  the  poorer  quarter  of  the  town.  The 
fugitive  had  for  a  moment  entertained  the  idea  of 
seeking  the  hospitality  of  Segel,  of  Bartold,  or  of  his 
guardian,  but  after  reflection  he  feared  to  compro- 
mise them. 


JACOB    IN   FLIGHT.  399 

"We  are  going  to  the  \  Kafarnaum,' '-  said  Kruder 
smiling. 

"  The  Kafarnaum  ?     What  is  that  ?  " 

"A  sobriquet  of  my  own  invention  to  designate  the 
place  where  the  revolutionists  meet." 

"  You  belong  to  them,  then?  " 

"I  belong  to  everybody  and  to  nobody,"  answered 
he.  "  I  enter,  I  listen.  I  give  my  advice  and  I  en- 
gage in  arguments,  and  I  wait.  With  me  you  will  be 
welcomed  at  the  Kafarnaum." 

"  Is  it  a  safe  asylum?  " 

"Excellent,  no  one  suspects,  and  therefore  it  has 
nothing  to  fear  from  the  police.  It  is  in  the  house 
of  the  commissaire  of  the  ward." 

"  Let  us  go  there,  then." 

Kruder  turned  into  an  alley.  It  was  growing  light, 
but  the  city  was  still  quiet  and  deserted,  and  the  only 
people  abroad  were  the  milkmen  and  the  huck- 
sters. They  stopped  before  a  house.  At  the  en- 
trance were  some  gendarmes,  police,  and  individuals 
in  citizens'  dress.  By  a  staircase  which  opened  on 
the  court  they  ascended  to  the  second  story.  The 
house  was  new,  and  the  apartment  at  the  door  of 
which  they  stopped  had  a  fine  external  appearance.  A 
servant  who  was  half  asleep  let  them  in,  and  without 
question  indicated  a  second  door.  This  led  them  to 
a  spacious  salon.  Two  men  were  writing  at  a  large 
table  by  the  light  of  a  lamp.  The  couches  and  easy- 
chairs  were  occupied  by  young  men,  whose  fatigued 
air  bore  witness  that  they  had  passed  a  sleepless  night. 


400  THE    JEW. 

Kruder  whispered  some  words  into  the  ears  of  the 
two  men  at  the  table.  These  persons,  whose  faces 
were  somewhat  familiar  to  Jacob,  offered  him  their 
hands. 

"  Here,"  said  they,  "  no  one  can  come  to  seek  you. 
As  we  have  no  secrets  from  honest  men,  we  will  con- 
tinue our  work  before  you.  We  conspire  even  in  the 
open  air,  in  the  public  streets,  and  as  yet  we  have  not 
fallen  under  suspicion.  Be  seated,  take  part  in  our 
deliberations,  give  us  your  advice,  —  we  ask  it.  To- 
day it  is  necessary  to  combine  all  our  forces  to  arm, 
to  rouse  enthusiasm  and  practise  strategy.  Do  not  be 
disturbed,  monsieur;  do  as  you  would  in  your  own 
house." 

Kruder,  whose  custom  was  to  take  no  sides,  went 
from  one  to  another,  read  the  order  of  the  day  over 
the  secretary's  shoulder,  listened  to  short  dialogues 
between  different  persons,  and  then  hastened  to  some 
other  meeting. 

Jacob,  left  there  by  his  friend,  assisted  at  a  strange, 
and  to  him  novel,  spectacle.  Every  instant  the  door 
opened ;  it  was  a  continual  going  and  coming  of 
individuals  of  all  ages  and  of  all  ranks  of  society. 
Among  them  were  women,  children,  Jews,  and  eccle- 
siastics. Some  brought  good  or  bad  news,  messages 
and  money,  while  others  came  to  receive  orders  or  to 
bring  letters,  and  in  this  crowd  appeared  some  in  uni- 
forms which  bore  the  insignia  of  high  rank  in  the 
army.  They  showed  by  their  faces  and  bearing 
traces  of  a  long  and  fatiguing  military  career.     The 


JACOB    IN  FLIGHT.  401 

breasts  of  many  were  covered  with  decorations  gained 
in  the  Caucasus  or  in  the  Taschkend.  In  contrast 
with  these  officers  were  workmen,  artisans,  idlers,  and 
vagabonds.  The  movement  was  incessant,  and  the 
crowd  was  continually  changing. 

A  youth  who  had  been  wounded  came  to  relate 
the  particulars  of  the  combat,  where  he  had  received  a 
bullet  in  his  leg.  He  asked  for  a  surgeon  to  extract 
it,  and  seemed  impatient  to  return  to  the  seat  of  war. 
His  face  was  lighted  up  with  heroism,  and  the  fever 
of  his  patriotism  exceeded  the  fever  of  his  wound. 

A  workman  came  in  haste  to  announce  that  the 
police  had  made  a  raid  on  a  clandestine  printing- 
house  where  he  was  employed,  and  from  which  he 
had  escaped  through  the  roof.  Immediate  decision 
was  taken  to  establish  another  printing-office  in 
another  hiding-place. 

The  revolution  displayed  an  immense  activity  which, 
notwithstanding,  was  defective.  Necessary  funds 
were  not  forthcoming,  in  spite  of  the  threats  and 
prayers  employed  to  procure  them.  Every  moment 
there  arrived  from  the  insurgents  scattered  in  the 
forests  complaints  of  lack  of  arms,  powder,  ambu- 
lances, medicines,  and  surgeons.  There  were  rumours 
that  this  or  that  emissary  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  Russians,  or  that  a  knavish  contractor,  who  had 
been  paid  in  advance,  had  delivered  a  cargo  of  guns 
which  proved  to  be  utterly  useless,  the  refuse  of  the 
Austrian  arsenals.  These  difficulties  did  not  daunt 
the  committee,   for  it  was  composed  of  men  of  un- 

Q*  TIM 

fajflVXB 


402  THE    JEW. 

heard:of  audacity  and  bravery,  who  had  already 
accomplished  miracles  with  their  scanty  resources. 
Russian  surveillance  was  relaxed,  and  this  fact,  which 
should  have  made  the  revolutionists  suspicious,  en- 
couraged their  efforts.  Their  confidence  increased 
daily.  From  all  the  Polish  provinces,  and  even  from 
the  districts  incorporated  with  the  Russian  empire  in 
1772,  came  assurances  of  warmest  sympathy,  but  each 
accompanied  by  an  urgent  prayer  to  delay  the  up- 
rising. It  was  too  late.  The  duchy  of  Posen,  annexed 
to  Prussia,  and  Galicia,  with  the  city  of  Cracow,  which 
was  subservient  to  Austria,  viewed  the  situation  with 
the  deepest  interest,  but  did  not  revolt  for  fear  of 
drawing  down  on  Poland  two  more  adversaries. 
These  remnants  of  the  old  republic  sent  volunteers 
and  money,  and  at  the  same  time  procured  some  arms 
from  Austria,  not  always  openly,  though  the  government 
at  Vienna  closed  its  eyes  and  let  them  pass. 

Gromof  had  the  right  of  entrance  to  the  Kafarnaum. 
Here  he  continued  to  oppose  the  insurrection,  and 
excited  general  ridicule. 

"  Instead  of  blaming  our  enthusiasm,"  replied  they, 
"  do  something  for  us.  Work  the  army.  Work  the 
dissenters  from  the  orthodox  church." 

"  Alas  !  "  replied  Gromof,  "  that  is  what  we  are  do- 
ing. But  our  people  do  not  respond  to  the  first 
appeal.  We  have  yet  to  instruct  them  and  teach 
them  their  rights." 

"  And  you  desire  us  to  remain  inactive  and  wait  for 
these    babes    to    grow  up  ?      Oh,  no  !     You    cannot 


JACOB    IN   FLIGHT.  403 

expect  that  any  more  than  for  us  to  return  to  the 
Greek  calendar." 

"  But  you  are  going  to  your  own  destruction.  You 
are  on  the  brink  of  an  abyss." 

"  An  abyss  !  To  hell !  rather  than  your  yoke," 
cried  an  impetuous  youth. 

This  argument  was  interrupted  by  a  woman  who 
came  to  tell  that  her  son  had  been  sent  to  the  citadel, 
and  that  she  had  succeeded  in  saving  some  very  com- 
promising papers  that  he  carried  on  his  person. 
After  the  woman  came  a  youth  almost  a  child.  He 
told  how  he  had  fled  from  the  soldiers  who  had  seized 
him  for  the  Russian  service. 

Amid  this  noisy  crowd  came  and  went  women  chat- 
ting tranquilly,  carrying  important  despatches  hidden 
in  their  stockings  or  their  corsets,  and  messengers 
waited  while  cobblers  drew  the  nails  from  the 
heels  of  their  boots  where  messages  had  been 
inserted. 

Jacob  saw  before  him  an  admirable  tableau  of  devo- 
tion. To  him  the  spectacle  was  most  pitiful,  for  he 
was  convinced  that  all  these  efforts  could  only  result 
in  a  final  catastrophe.  Kruder  returned.  He  in- 
formed his  friend  that  one  hour  after  their  departure 
the  police  had  invaded  his  dwelling,  searched  his 
papers,  demolished  stoves,  had  even  taken  up  part  of 
the  floor,  and  carried  away  as  sole  trophy  a  pocket 
pistol,  a  prohibited  weapon.  The  house  was  placed 
under  strict  supervision,  and  the  search  for  Jacob  was 
now  going  on  in  the  streets. 


404  THE    JEW. 

There  remained  to  him  the  choice  between  flight  or 
prison;  but  whither  should  he  fly?  He  thought  of 
some  obscure  streets  where  the  poor  Jews  lived.  He 
had  among  them  many  friends  whom  he  had  aided  in 
their  distress.  He  had  often  penetrated  into  these 
houses  of  misery  with  the  idea  of  devoting  himself 
some  day  to  their  total  extinction.  With  this  end  in 
view  he  had  organized  a  Jewish  school,  for  in  his 
opinion  popular  instruction  was  the  basis  of  moral 
reform  and  material  improvement. 

One  man  in  particular  in  this  quarter  he  knew  well. 
A  certain  Rebe  Schmul,  a  petty  merchant  who  had 
been  on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy  when  Jacob  had  set 
him  once  more  on  his  feet.  His  back  loaded  with 
old  clothes,  he  walked  in  the  cold  or  the  heat  crying 
in  the  streets,  "Hendel!  Hendel!"  ("Old  clothes  !  old 
clothes  !  ")  Nothing  escaped  his  glance  or  his  hearing. 
He  heard  the  calls  from  the  garrets,  and  introduced 
himself  into  the  courts  at  the  risk  of  being  harshly 
treated.  It  was  a  laborious  business,  and  often 
scarcely  sufficed  to  sustain  existence.  At  the  most  it 
permitted  him  to  buy  a  little  fish  and  a  morsel  of 
white  bread  for  the  Sabbath. 

Rebe  Schmul  and  his  wife  were  growing  old ;  they 
had  five  daughters,  two  of  whom  were  married,  while 
three  remained  at  home.  In  all,  five  mouths  to  feed. 
To  do  this  it  was  necessary  that  each  day,  in  all 
seasons,  the  pedler  should  tramp  from  early  morning 
until  nightfall.  He  must  also  be  careful  not  to  make 
a   bad   bargain   in   buying  old  clothes,  which  often 


JACOB    IN   FLIGHT.  405 

appeared  so  well  that  a  hole  would  pass  unperceived. 
There  lies  the  danger  of  the  business,  and  Schmul, 
although  experienced,  had  been  taken  in  more  than 
once.  Tall  and  thin,  he  did  not  look  his  age,  for,  as 
he  said,  he  had  no  time  to  think  of  it.  In  this  busi- 
ness, which  he  had  followed  for  more  than  thirty  years, 
he  had  become  a  keen  observer  of  men ;  and  from 
this  study  was  born  in  his  soul  not  contempt,  but 
compassion,  for  his  fellow-creatures.  Although  he 
was  very  poor,  he  often  found  some  one  more  un- 
fortunate, who  drew  from  him  the  last  sou  in  his 
pocket  in  charity.  Besides  this  sensibility,  he  was 
distinguished  by  a  jovial  humour.  His  natural  gayety 
served  him  well  in  trading.  A  smile  always  attracts, 
and  he  by  his  bright  ways  encouraged  men  who  were 
obliged  to  sell  their  best  garments,  and  softened  the 
bitterness  of  the  sacrifice.  Schmul  always  had  a  joke 
to  tell,  and  a  smile  on  his  lips,  when  he  left  home 
in  the  early  morning  or  when  he  returned  weary  and 
footsore  at  night.  He  treated  his  sick  wife  with 
pleasantry ;  by  pleasantry  he  consoled  his  daughters 
in  their  chagrins  j  and  lastly  he  fortified  himself  there- 
by, when  he  felt  that  a  sigh  was  likely  to  escape  his 
breast. 

No  one  celebrated  with  more  enjoyment  the  feast 
of  the  Sabbath  than  did  Schmul,  in  his  narrow  and 
crowded  lodging,  by  the  light  of  a  tallow  candle. 
His  business  did  not  prosper,  although  he  worked  so 
hard.  This  was  a  disappointment  to  him,  for  he  had 
dreamed  of  enlarging  his  stock  by  the  addition  of 


406  THE    JEW. 

blacking  and  matches ;  but  circumstances  had  not  as 
yet  permitted  the  realization  of  his  hopes.  Then  he 
bought  tickets  in  the  lottery,  and  each  time  hoped  to 
gain  the  grand  prize.  In  vain  did  his  wife  beg  him  to 
renounce  this  delusion,  and  use  the  money  in  buying 
the  necessaries  of  life  for  his  family.  When  she  had 
scolded  him  well,  his  only  reply  was  that  he  must 
not  shut  his  door  against  the  good  God. 

Schmul  lodged  with  his  family  on  the  third  floor  of 
a  large  house  inhabited  by  many  other  Jewish  families, 
all  equally  poor.  This  building,  it  is  needless  to  say, 
did  not  shine  with  neatness.  It  was  constructed  in  a 
rectangle  with  a  narrow  front,  and  opened  upon  a 
court.  On  each  story  a  wooden  gallery  served  for 
the  workroom  of  the  household.  Here  they  washed 
and  dried  the  linen.  Here  they  split  the  wood,  and 
cooked  the  food,  and  dressed  the  children.  What 
did  they  not  do  here  ?  Old  clothes  of  all  kinds  were 
stretched  on  ropes,  and  the  odours  of  the  cooking,  the 
steam  from  many  wash-boilers,  the  waters  from  which 
ran  through  the  court,  produced  a  perfume  which  the 
lodgers  endured  from  force  of  habit  only.  The  in- 
habitants were  like  one  family,  many  of  whom  had 
been  born  and  were  destined  to  die  in  this  receptacle 
of  misery. 

Schmul  occupied  three  dark  rooms,  where  the  air 
and  the  light  came  only  from  the  court.  You  can 
imagine  what  air  and  what  light !  Both  had  to  filter 
through  the  wet  clothes  and  the  rags  which  hung  on 
the  ropes  stretched  from  one  gallery  to  another. 


JACOB    IN   FLIGHT.  407 

One  of  these  rooms  served  for  a  parlour,  and 
possessed  a  rickety  sofa  and  two  old  arm-chairs. 
The  other  apartment  was  the  bedroom  for  the  old 
couple ;  the  third,  the  chamber  of  the  three  girls. 
It  was  here  that  the  Schmul  girls  cleaned,  patched, 
and  mended  the  old  clothes.  A  memorable  event 
happened  here.  The  father  loved  to  tell  of  it  as  a 
proof  of  the  protection  of  Providence. 

Ten  years  before,  the  pedler's  position  was  des- 
perate. He  had  been  so  unfortunate  as  to  buy  some 
clothes  that  proved  to  be  stolen.  He  was  obliged  to 
give  back  the  goods,  beside  paying  a  large  fine.  To 
raise  the  money  for  this  he  had  appealed  to  several 
friends  in  vain.  Seeing  no  way  out  of  his  embarrass- 
ment, he  had  gone  out  and  had  succeeded  in  selling 
an  old  cloak  for  a  few  florins.  He  had  just  returned 
home  when  a  soldier  came  and  wished  to  sell  him  an 
old  velvet  waistcoat.  He  refused  to  buy  it ;  but  the 
man  insisted,  and  seizing  him  by  the  arm,  made  such 
a  noise  that  Schmul  gave  him  a  small  sum  for  the 
garment.  He  soon  perceived  that  he  had  made  a 
poor  purchase,  for  it  was  nearly  worthless.  He  gave 
it  to  one  of  his  girls  to  patch,  who  presently  uttered  a 
great  cry  of  joy,  for  under  each  button  she  had  found 
a  piece  of  gold,  the  total  of  which  was  sufficient  to 
pay  the  fine. 

The  waistcoat  contained  also  a  paper  written  over 
closely,  but  the  writing  was  almost  effaced  and  inde- 
cipherable. 

It  was  not  possible  to  return  the  garment  to  its 


408  THE    JEW. 

owner,  for  the  soldier  had  evidently  stolen  it.  Never- 
theless, Schmul  did  not  believe  it  right  to  appropriate 
a  sum  which  seemed  to  have  been  sent  from  Heaven ; 
he  considered  himself  the  depositary,  and  distributed 
the  whole  in  small  sums  to  political  prisoners.  This 
act  describes  the  man.  Unfortunate  though  he  was, 
he  paid  his  debt  to  an  unknown.  He  often  showed 
pieces  of  the  waistcoat  when  he  had  occasion  to 
relate  the  story,  and  returned  thanks  to  Providence, 
for  he  was  very  pious. 

He  always  left  home  early  in  the  morning  and  did 
not  return  until  dark.  He  carried  an  old  umbrella, 
formerly  blue,  but  become  by  long  usage  an  indefin- 
able colour.  It  was  less  to  shield  himself  than  to 
shelter  his  merchandise  from  the  rain,  the  snow,  and 
the  sun.  His  breakfast  was  invariably  composed  of  a 
raw  onion  or  a  smoked  herring,  with  a  morsel  of 
bread  and  a  small  glass  of  brandy.  In  the  evening  he 
loved  to  find  some  hot  dish  awaiting  him,  and  seated 
at  the  table  he  related  the  most  amusing  incidents 
of  the  day,  to  which  his  family  listened  attentively. 
Then  came  the  prayer  before  going  to  bed. 

The  pedler  was  generally  loved  on  account  of  his 
good  character  and  jovial  spirit.  People  were  sur- 
prised that  with  his  intelligence  he  had  not  already 
made  his  fortune.  He  replied  by  likening  himself  to 
a  pair  of  scissors.  Be  they  ever  so  sharp,  they  were 
no  use  without  something  to  cut.  Gold  was  the  some- 
thing that  God,  in  his  wisdom,  had  not  given  to  every 
one. 


JACOB    IN  FLIGHT.  409 

Jacob  arrived  at  the  staircase  which  led  to  the 
Schmuls'  lodging.  He  ascended  without  seeing  the 
pedler,  who,  returning  from  his  work,  followed  him, 
and  stopped  at  the  same  time  before  the  door  of  his 
lodging,  on  which  was  graven  the  name  of  God. 
Following  the  custom,  he  touched  it  with  his  hand 
and  afterwards  kissed  it.  It  was  then  that  Schmul 
recognized  him. 

"Salem  aleketn"  said  he. 

"Alekem  salem"  replied  the  fugitive. 

"  Rabbi  Jacob,  tell  me  why  I  am  honoured  by  your 
presence?  "  asked  Schmul. 

"  I  am  in  trouble,"  replied  Jacob. 

"Can  I  do  anything  for  you?  " 

"  Yes,  and  easily,  I  hope." 

"  Even  if  it  were  not  easy  you  may  count  on  me  to 
do  aH  I  can." 

They  entered  ;  the  old  man  dusted  the  sofa  and 
the  table  in  Jacob's  honour,  and  begged  him  to  be 
seated.  The  prettiest  and  the  boldest  of  his  daughters, 
Rosel£,  came  to  help  him.  Notwithstanding  their 
poverty,  she  was  dressed  neatly  and  in  good  taste,  and 
her  beautiful  black  eyes  indicated  a  certain  coquetry. 

"  Now  that  you  are  seated,"  said  Schmul,  "  I  will 
listen  to  you." 

"  In  a  moment.  Rest  yourself  first,  you  must  be 
tired." 

"  Oh,  as  for  that,  yes  !  I  cannot  say  how  many 
stairs  I  have  climbed  to-day.  I  have  done  well. 
There  are  some  young  Poles  who  sold  their  last  .fine 


410  THE    JEW. 

shirts  to  buy  thick  warm  garments.  I  did  not  have 
to  make  myself  hoarse  to-day  by  crying  '  Hendel!' 
Everybody  called  to  me.  They  sold  at  any  price.  I 
had  not  enough  money,  and  was  obliged  to  borrow  of 
old  Mortchel." 

"  I  am  obliged,"  said  Jacob  in  a  low  voice,  "  to 
leave  Warsaw.  The  police  paid  a  visit  to  my  house 
this  morning." 

"  To  your  house  ?  Is  it  possible  ?  Are  you  then, 
Rabbi  Jacob,  one  of  those  madmen  who  tempt 
God?" 

"  No ;  but  the  Russian  government  often  arrests  in- 
nocent people." 

"  This  is  true.  They  do  it  every  day.  No  one  is 
secure  here,  nor  ever  has  been  under  Russian  rule." 

"  Do  you  know  any  one  who  can  conduct  me  in 
safety  to  the  first  post  station? " 

"  Certainly.  Under  this  very  roof  dwells  Mordko. 
As  every  one  must  live  by  some  means,  he  is  a  smug- 
gler. Merchandise,  papers,  men,  he  gets  them  all 
across  the  frontier.  Thus,  by  exposing  his  head  every 
day,  he  feeds  his  stomach." 

"Can  I  trust  him?" 

"Entirely.  This  Mordko  is  a  queer  fellow,  and 
when  you  see  him  you  will  not  doubt  him.  Half 
mute,  almost  blind,  he  can  scarcely  say  four  words  or 
take  three  steps.  He  has  such  a  stupid  and  innocent 
air  that  he  is  never  suspected.  I  will  go  and  find 
him." 

Madame  Schmul  came  in  to  keep  Jacob  company, 


JACOB    IN  FLIGHT.  411 

and  at  the  half- open  door  the  three  girls  peeped  at 
him  with  admiration.  Ros^le"  said  to  herself :  "  What 
happiness  for  me  if  I  could  please  this  rich  man. 
But,  alas  !  I  must  not  think  of  it.  I  am  called  beau- 
tiful, but  no  doubt  I  should  not  satisfy  a  man  such  as 
he." 

In  a  few  moments  Schmul  returned  with  a  very 
shabby  individual.  He  looked  at  Jacob  from  head  to 
foot  attentively. 

"  He  already  understands  the  situation,"  said  the 
pedler.     "  You  need  make  no  ftfrther  explanations." 

"  I  wish  to  leave  at  once,"  said  Jacob. 

"To-night?  No  !  "  replied  Mordko.  "Too  dan- 
gerous !     Morning  will  be  better." 

"  But  I  cannot  sleep  here,  there  is  no  room,  and 
the  hotels  are  surrounded  by  the  police." 

"  I  know  a  place  where  you  can  sleep  quietly.  I 
will  return  in  a  moment,  and  conduct  you  to  it." 

As  soon  as  Mordko  had  gone,  Schmul  said  to  his 
visitor :  — 

"Your  flight  gives  me  great  sorrow.  When  will 
you  return  ?  No  one  knows.  Your  absence  is  a  mis- 
fortune for  the  Israelites.  You  are  the  only  one  who 
could  restore  our  old  purity  of  religion.  No  one 
else,  and  now  you  are  taken  from  us." 

"  If  I  am  really  useful  to  our  cause,  be  sure  that 
the  God  of  Israel  will  protect  me,"  replied  Jacob. 

"  Then  you  will  return,  safe  and  sound.  I  have  a 
presentiment.  And  waiting  here  we  will  drink  the 
bitter  cup  to  the  dregs," 


412  THE    JEW. 

Mordko  returned,  and  Jacob,  under  his  guidance, 
went  to  a  small  hotel  in  the  suburbs,  where  he  was 
given  an  isolated  chamber.  He  soon  slept,  and 
for  several  hours  the  fugitive  was  oblivious  to  the 
world. 


LOVE    OF   COUNTRY. 


4*3 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

LOVE    OF    COUNTRY. 

It  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  travel  in  Poland  in  the 
time  of  the  revolution.  The  country  was  scoured  by 
bands  of  Cossacks,  and  battalions  of  regular  troops 
inundated  the  cities  and  villages,  took  possession  of 
any  place  they  fancied  with  impunity,  and  committed 
all  kinds  of  excesses.  In  the  ravaged  fields  the  un- 
fortunate farmers  beheld  both  their  friends  and  ene- 
mies tear  from  them  the  nourishment  of  their  wives 
and  children. 

Mordko  brought  Jacob  safely  by  a  circuitous  route 
to  the  post  station,  whence  a  carriage  took  him  to  the 
village  where  Jankiel  dwelt. 

Here  he  learned  that  the  two  Davids  were  absent. 
The  elder  lived  in  Warsaw,  under  the  protection  of 
the  Russian  governor,  and  the  younger  took  some 
part  in  the  insurrection,  and  had  acquired  the  name 
of  an  ardent  patriot. 

Jacob  surprised  Jankiel,  all  alone,  bent  over  a  large 
book.  He  saw  how  suffering  had  emaciated  the  old 
man,  who,  not  divining  who  his  visitor  was,  did  not 
raise  his  head,  but  signed  with  his  hand  that  he  wished 
to  finish  his  pious  meditation.     At  the  end  of  a  few 


414  THE    JEW. 

moments  he  closed  his  book,  and  recognizing  Jacob, 
received  him  with  great  cordiality. 

"  Do  you  bring  me  bad  news?  "  he  asked. 

"No,  I  will  tell  you  all  frankly.  I  have  been 
threatened  with  arrest ;  for  what,  I  know  not.  I  have 
been  advised  to  absent  myself,  and  I  come  to  you  to 
shelter  me  a  little  while  from  the  storm." 

"  The  storm  is  still  far  from  its  end.  The  clouds 
thicken ;  but  come  what  will  I  receive  you  with  all  my 
heart,  and  my  house  is  at  your  service." 

"  I  am  at  present  at  the  hotel." 

Jankiel  rose,  went  to  the  door,  and  called  by  name 
a  Jew  who  was  passing,  and  who  came  running  to  him. 

"  Go  and  get  this  gentleman's  luggage  at  the  hotel, 
and  bring  it  to  the  chamber  opposite  mine. 

"  I  will  not  permit  you  to  dwell  away  from  me," 
said  he.  "  There  is  in  this  village  a  regiment  of 
soldiers,  who  search  every  traveller.  You  will  be  safe 
here.  But  much  as  I  desire  your  company,  and  you 
know  how  welcome  you  are,  yet  believe  me  it  will  be 
better  for  you  to  leave  this  place.  There  will  soon 
be  trouble  here.  The  Russians  are  letting  the  revo- 
lution grow,  so  as  to  have  a  greater  chance  for  pillage. 
I  have  been  through  all  this  before,  in  1809,  181 2, 
and  1 83 1.  What  the  result  will  be  now,  God  only 
knows  J  but  I  fear  the  worst." 

After  a  moment  of  silence  and  visible  embarrass- 
ment, he  added  :  — 

"  My  wife  is  ill,  my  daughter  is  ill,  and  our  house 
is  in  mourning.     Only  the  holy  books  help  me  to 


LOVE    OF   COUNTRY.  415 

bear  my  sorrow.  Those  people,"  he  pointed  to  the 
house  of  the  Davids,  "  are  gone.  One  to  the  city,  the 
other,  it  is  said,  to  the  insurgents.  I  do  not  congratu- 
late them  on  the  acqiusition.  Unhappy  is  the  cause 
which  is  upheld  by  impure  men  !  " 

Jankiel  and  Jacob  were  reading,  when  suddenly 
there  was  heard  in  the  silent  street  the  sound  of 
horses  galloping  over  the  uneven  pavement.  From 
the  window  they  saw  in  the  square  below  a  group  of 
Cossacks  and  several  carts.  There  were  savage  cries, 
and  then,  in  a  vibrating  voice,  came  an  order  for 
silence  from  the  commander. 

Jankiel  sent  out  for  information.  A  detachment 
of  Russian  soldiers,  the  advance  guard  of  several 
regiments,  escorted  a  chief  of  the  rebels  taken  in  a 
bloody  combat,  wounded  and  dying.  The  straw  bed 
on  the  cart  where  the  man  lay  was  soaked  with  blood, 
and  yet,  if  alive,  he  would  be  hung  on  the  morrow  ! 
Such  was  the  story  told  by  the  soldiers,  who  soon 
spread  themselves  through  the  dwellings  of  the 
village. 

Jankiel  foresaw  that  some  of  the  officers  would  be 
quartered  upon  him,  and,  fearing  what  might  follow, 
went  to  hide  his  daughter  in  her  mother's  room.  He 
disposed  of  his  money  in  secret  places,  known  only  to 
himself,  keeping  in  his  pocket  a  sufficient  sum  for 
urgent  necessities.  The  precious  vessels  had  already 
been  carefully  put  in  a  place  of  safety.  With  perfect 
presence  of  mind  he  warned  the  servants  to  say  that 
Jacob  was  his  son-in-law,  and   then    seated    himself 


416  the  jew. 

quietly  to  await  events.  The  village  was  full  of  sol- 
diers, who  received  orders  to  form  a  camp  in  the 
market  square.  The  officers  alone  installed  them- 
selves in  the  private  houses,  and  the  night  was  advanced 
when  the  colonel  of  the  regiment  arrived  at  Jankiel's 
dwelling. 

He  was  not  a  barbarous- looking  man  j  his  manner 
and  bearing  were  those  of  a  cultured  person.  Not- 
withstanding, the  man  was  not  necessarily  a  gentle- 
man. For  in  the  Russian  army,  as  in  Russian  society, 
superficial  culture  often  covers  the  most  base  corrup- 
tion. Men  who  are  charming  in  the  drawing-room 
are  often  cruel  and  brutal  in  the  exercise  of  authority, 
as  if  they  wished  to  make  up  to  themselves  for  the 
restraint  placed  on  them  by  the  requirements  of 
society.  The  colonel  bore  a  German  name,  Tende- 
mann;  his  extraction  was  a  mystery  to  every  one, 
and  perhaps  to  himself. 

He  was  pale/  excited,  and  angry ;  the  reason  for 
which  was  the  responsibility  which  rested  on  his  shoul- 
ders. He  was  no  longer  a  man ;  he  was  a  Russian  in 
the  full  sense  of  the  word.  He  entered  without 
saluting  any  one,  and  without  informing  the  propri- 
etor. All  he  thought  of  was  to  lodge  comfortably. 
At  the  door  of  his  sick  wife's  room  Jankiel  barred  the 
way  respectfully,  and  said  :  — 

"  This  is  my  wife's  room,  who  is  sick  in  bed." 

The  colonel,  without  noticing  the  old  man,  opened 
the  door,  examined  the  place  indicated,  looked  into 
the  next  room,  and  then  descended  in  silence  to  the 


LOVE    OF    COUNTRY. 


417 


lower  floor.  There  he  stopped,  and  said  that  he 
would  stay  for  the  night.  His  men  soon  spread  them- 
selves over  the  house,  demanding  loudly  a  samovar,  a 
fire,  candles,  and  hot  water.  In  a  spacious  chamber 
several  officers  were  engaged  in  boisterous  conversa- 
tion ;  from  above  it  sounded  like  the  noise  of  a  storm 
accompanied  by  peals  of  thunder. 

Jankiel  and  Jacob  were  seated  alone,  watchful  and 
anxious.  Information  gathered  from  the  servants  veri- 
fied the  first  reports.  A  Russian  detachment,  sent  in 
the  pursuit  of  a  troop  of  insurgents,  had  surprised 
them  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  surrounded  and  cap- 
tured them.  The  Poles  defended  themselves  with 
their  usual  heroism,  but  they  lacked  ammunition,  and 
they  were  soon  beaten.  Their  young  chief  fought 
valiantly  until  he  fell  grievously  wounded.  It  was  this 
hero  whom  they  were  taking  to  be  hanged,  a  proof  of 
his  distinction,  for  the  other  officers  who  were  captured 
had  been  simply  shot  on  the  spot.  The  colonel  of 
the  detachment  watched  this  prisoner  with  great  care, 
that  he  might  not  escape  the  scaffold,  and  ordered 
him  placed  in  a  neighbouring  house  under  a  strong 
guard, — an  unnecessary  precaution,  for  the  unfortunate 
could  not  move  and  his  case  was  a  desperate  one. 
His  name  the  Russian  soldiers  mutilated  after  their 
fashion.  Like  most  of  the  revolutionary  chiefs,  he 
went  under  one  that  was  assumed. 

The  sufferings  of  the  unknown,  for  whom  a  scaffold 
was  being  erected  on  the  market-place,  moved  Jacob's 
sympathies  strongly.     If  he  could  not  serve  him,  he 


41 8  THE    JEW. 

believed  it  his  duty  to  at  least  console  him.  He  com- 
municated his  desires  to  Jankiel. 

"  The  thing  seems  very  difficult  to  me,"  replied  the 
old  man  j  "  but  I  will  try  and  see  him.  After  all,  I 
do  not  risk  much  at  my  age." 

Then  Jankiel  put  on  his  long  black  coat,  took  his 
czapka,  descended  the  staircase,  and  begged  the 
guard  at  the  door  to  announce  him  to  the  colonel. 

The  latter  was  lying  on  the  sofa,  his  legs  stretched 
out,  with  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  when  Jankiel  entered 
and  stood  respectfully  at  the  door. 

"What  do  you  want?"  asked  the  colonel 
brusquely. 

"  I  wish  to  know  if  your  lordship  lacks  anything." 

"If  I  wanted  anything  in  the  house,  I  would  take 
it  without  your  permission.  These  are  times  of 
war." 

"  Certainly." 

"What  do  they  think  here  of  the  rebels?  " 

"  Nothing,  that  I  know  of." 

"  Have  they  passed  by  here?  " 

"  No." 

"  You  all  reply  the  same  way,  for  you  are  at  heart 
their  friends.     Jewish  dogs  !  " 

"  We  have  always  been  loyal  to  our  sovereign." 

"  And  why,  then,  do  you  not  chase  the  insurgents, 
and  give  them  up  to  the  authorities?  " 

"  That  would  not  be  natural  for  Jews.  We  are 
peaceful  men  and  have  a  horror  of  war." 

The    colonel    rose   and  walked  up  and  down  the 


LOVE    OF   COUNTRY. 


419 


room.  Jankiel  bowed  low,  and  said  to  him  in  a  low 
voice  :  — 

"  Your  lordship  knows,  perhaps,  that,  following  a 
custom  of  our  religion,  when  a  man  is  sentenced  to 
death,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Jews  where  the  execution 
takes  place  to  offer  a  repast  to  the  condemned." 

"  What  is  that  you  are  saying?  The  custom  of 
which  you  speak  no  longer  exists.  You  have  in- 
vented it.  Why  do  you  wish  to  see  the  prisoner,  and 
how  dare  you  lie  to  me?" 

The  custom  did  not  really  exist ;  Jankiel  had 
imagined  it  in  pious  thought,  but  how  could  Colonel 
Tendemann  know  about  it?  That  is  what  the  Jew 
asked  himself,  fixing  a  scrutinizing  glance  on  the 
officer. 

"  Why  do  you  look  at  me  thus  ?  What  do  you 
mean?  "  cried  the  colonel. 

"  It  is  admiration,  for  your  lordship  must  be  deeply 
learned  to  know  what  the  Talmud  does  and  does  not 
contain.  You  have  then,  no  doubt,  read  that  which 
the  rabbin  Ichochuah  said  of  prisoners." 

The  colonel,  pale  and  trembling,  listened  to  the  old 
man.  There  seemed  to  be  a  struggle  going  on  within 
him  ;  his  lips  trembled,  and  a  mist  came  over  his  eyes  ; 
the  voice  of  Jankiel  made  a  strange  impression  on 
him.  He  tried  to  force  himself  to  be  cruel,  but  in 
vain,  —  an  invincible  sentiment  held  him.  The  old 
man  remarked  this  emotion,  but  did  not  know  how 
to  interpret  it. 

After  a  short  silence  the  colonel  wiped  his  forehead, 
and  said  in  an  angry  tone  :  — 


420  THE    JEW. 

"  Why  do  you  remain  here  ?  What  are  you  wait- 
ing for?  Go  away  !  Go  away  !  Do  not  think  of 
the  condemned.     His  hours  are  numbered." 

"  May  your  lordship  "  — 

"  Go  away  before  I  do  something  to  you  !  "  cried 
he.  At  the  same  time  he  approached  the  Jew,  and 
whispered  in  his  ear  in  German  :  — 

"  Go  away.     I  will  come  to  you  soon." 

In  the  German  pronunciation  of  the  colonel,  as 
well  as  in  his  features,  there  was  a  barely  perceptible 
trace  of  Jewish  origin.  But  why  suppose  this  Russian 
officer  to  be  a  child  of  Israel?  Jankiel  refused  to 
admit  the  thought.  Nevertheless,  he  could  not  for- 
get it,  and  was  thinking  of  it  when  he  entered  the 
room.  He  said  nothing  to  Jacob,  who  went  to  his 
chamber,  a  prey  to  the  deepest  anxiety. 

About  a  half-hour  later  a  step  was  heard  on  the 
stairs.  The  Muscovite  entered,  his  face  as  white 
as  snow.  He  glanced  eagerly  around  the  room,  the 
Jewish  character  of  which  seemed  to  fascinate  him ; 
books,  inscriptions,  portraits  of  rabbins,  all  attracted 
his  attention.  He  held  out  his  hand  to  Jankiel,  and 
said  to  him  :  — 

"Salem  alekem." 

"Alekem  salem,11  replied  the  old  man,  amazed. 

No  more  explanation  was  needed.  _Wrthout  doubt 
the  colonel  was  a  Jew.  His  father,  or  he  himself,  in 
order  to  enter  the  service  of  the  government,  had 
adopted  the  orthodox  Greek  faith.  Nevertheless,  the 
fire  of  the  belief  of  his  ancestors  and  of  his  repudi- 
ated race  burned  beneath  the  ashes. 


LOVE    OF    COUNTRY. 


421 


The  colonel  seated  himself.  Jankiel  observed  him 
thoughtfully. 

The  Russian's  figure  trembled  with  the  remorse  of 
apostasy.  He  was  one  of  those  numerous  Jews  who 
have  adopted  the  belief,  the  customs,  and  the  preju- 
dices of  the  country  in  which  they  live,  but  have,  in 
spite  of  themselves,  often  after  several  generations, 
irresistible  longings  for  the  faith  of  their  fathers. 

By  a  sign  he  indicated  to  Jankiel  the  sacred  word 
inscribed  on  the  door,  and,  approaching  with  vener- 
ation an  open  volume  of  the  Talmud,  turned  the 
leaves  respectfully.  For  many  years  he  had  not  come 
in  contact  with  the  Hebrew  characters  and  the 
language  of  the  commandments,  but  he  remembered 
the  days  of  his  childhood,  when  his  father  taught  him 
secretly  to  read  that  language  which  had  come  upon 
earth  from  the  mouth  of  God.  At  first  he  could 
hardly  read  the  letters,  but  little  by  little  light  dawned 
upon  him,  and  with  intense  delight  he  read  on,  ob- 
livious to  all  around  him  ;  the  day's  combat,  the  tragedy 
of  the  morrow,  his  military  rank,  Russia,  his  Czar,  and 
the  entire  world  were  all  forgotten. 

His  eyes,  unused  to  weep,  were  full  of  tears,  of  re- 
gret or  of  consolation  it  would  have  been  difficult  to 
say  which  ;  probably  the  two  sentiments  were  united. 

By  chance  his  eyes  fell  upon  this  prayer  for  the 
dead :  — 

"  God  of  mercy,  deign  to  remember  the  men  who 
have  been  more  swift  than  the  eagles  and  stronger 
than  the  lions  in  the  accomplishment  of  thy  holy  will, 


422  THE    JEW.  * 

and  do  not  forget  to  show  thy  vengeance  on  those  who 
have  shed  the  blood  of  thy  servants." 

Jankiel  contemplated  with  emotion  that  which 
seemed  to  him  a  miracle.  The  colonel,  after  reading 
for  some  time,  seemed  overcome,  and  leaned  back  in 
his  chair.     His  host  said  to  him  gently  :  — 

"God  will  be  merciful  to  those  who  repent." 

"  I  do  not  know,"  answered  the  servant  of  the 
Czar,  "  which  I  ought  to  regret  more,  —  what  I  have 
been,  or  what  I  am ;  but  is  it  my  own  fault  that  I  am 
a  renegade?  My  father  chose  for  himself  and  for  me. 
I  belong  to-day  to  an  alien  race.  I  weep  when  I  re- 
member Israel,  until  a  wild  madness  possesses  my 
spirit ;  then  I  tremble  lest  they  may  recognize  under 
his  new  skin  the  cursed  Jew.  I  tremble  for  fear  I  may 
betray  myself  by  pitying  a  brother  Jew.  My  children 
do  not  know  that  the  blood  of  Jewish  rabbis  flows  in 
their  veins.  Ah,  may  they  never  know  that  they  are 
the  children  of  a  traitor,  of  an  apostate  !  " 

"Brother,"  said  Jankiel,  hastening  to  take  advan- 
tage of  his  softened  mood,  "  what  are  you  going  to  do 
with  the  prisoner?  " 

"  Do  not  speak  of  him.  He  is  condemned  by  su- 
perior orders.  To-morrow  will  be  his  last  day  on 
earth.     I  am  sorry,  but  I  can  do  nothing." 

"  It  is  a  pity.  Perhaps  he  has  a  mother,  a  sister,  or 
a  wife.     I  wish  I  could  be  permitted  to  see  him." 

"  What  is  he  to  you?  What  have  we  Jews  in  com- 
mon with  the  Poles  ?  Have  you  forgotten  their  con- 
duct toward  our  people  ?  " 


LOVE    OF    COUNTRY. 


"  I  do  not  forget  that  we  are  born  on  the  same 
soil,"  said  the  old  man.  "  And  our  immortal  law- 
giver orders  us  to  raise  the  burden  from  the  weary 
beast.  Should  we  have  less  compassion  for  a  man, 
even  if  he  were  a  pagan?" 

"  I  am  under  the  surveillance  of  a  thousand  evil 
eyes.  You  can,  however,  buy  my  soldiers  with  brandy 
or  money.  For  money  these  wretches  would  sell  their 
own  father  and  mother.  And  then  you  may  do  what 
you  can  for  the  unfortunate  man." 

"  You  will  permit  it  ?  I  will  send  my  kinsman  in 
my  place.     He  will  be  safe,  will  he  not?  " 

"  I  permit  nothing.  I  will  shut  my  eyes,  and  I  wish 
to  know  nothing  of  it." 

Jankiel  left  the  colonel  for  a  moment  to  tell  Jacob, 
and  found  him  dressed  ready  for  any  emergency.  He 
had  already  arranged  a  plan  with  an  old  Jew  named 
Herszko,  nicknamed  the  Madre\  He  put  on  his  old 
clothes,  with  two  bottles  of  rum  in  his  pockets,  and 
they  went  out  on  the  street.  The  hour  was  late,  the 
soldiers  snored,  and  the  sentinel  walked  slowly  on  his 
beat.  Before  the  house  where  the  prisoner  was  shut 
up  an  under  officer  watched,  seated  on  a  bench.  He 
cursed  and  swore  between  his  teeth.  Fortunately,  he 
was  a  confirmed  drunkard,  by  name  F£dor  Michailo- 
vitch  Chelmenko.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the  two  Jews 
in  the  distance  he  immediately  thought  that  this 
might  bring  him  a  rouble,  or  at  least  a  glass  of 
brandy. 

"  Good-evening,  officer,"  said  the  Madre  ;  he  saw 


424  THE    JEW. 

that  this  was  only  an  underling,  but  gave  him  the  full 
title,  hoping  thereby  to  tickle  his  vanity. 

"Pass  thy  way,  Jew  !  "  cried  Chelmenko. 

"  You  must  be  weary,  seated  on  this  bench." 

"  Certainly  it  is  not  very  pleasant." 

"  Then  why  do  you  remain  here  ?  " 

"What  is  that  to  you?  " 

"  Excuse  me,  mere  curiosity." 

Herszko  mischievously  showed  the  neck  of  the  bot- 
tle as  if  it  were  about  to  leap  out  of  his  pocket ;  Chel- 
menko saw  it ;  the  very  sight  of  it  made  his  mouth 
water. 

"  Let  me  taste  it,  miscreant,"  cried  he. 

"  You  guess  what  it  is  ?  No  ?  Well,  it  is  the 
genuine  Jamaica  rum,  worth  a  rouble  and  a  half  a 
bottle." 

"  Let  me  see,  quick  !  " 

Madre  handed  him  the  bottle ;  the  officer  put  it  to 
his  lips  and  swallowed  some  of  the  rum  with  great  en- 
joyment, then  said  :  — 

"Now  tell  me  what  this  means?  " 

"  Officer,"  answered  the  old  man,  "  my  companion 
is  a  Jew,  as  well  as  myself.  We  have  heard,  but 
perhaps  we  are  misinformed,  that  your  prisoner  is 
called  Baikowski;  if  so,  he  owes  a  large  sum  of 
money  to  my  companion,  who  wishes  to  see  him,  and 
get  his  money,  if  possible." 

"  Rebels,  rascals,  knaves,  get  out  of  here  !  Don't 
you  know  that  no  one  can  see  the  prisoner?  It  is 
strictly  forbidden." 


LOVE    OF    COUNTRY.  425 

Without  hesitation  Madre"  deposited  on  the  bench 
the  other  bottle,  and  beside  it  three  roubles. 

"  No  one.  I  cannot  let  any  one  enter,"  murmured 
the  Muscovite ;  then  after  a  moment  of  reflection  he 
added : — 

"  Follow  me." 

"Not  I,  but  my  companion,"  said  the  old  man. 

"  Which  you  like.     It  is  nothing  to  me." 

Chelmenko,  already  tipsy,  conducted  Jacob  to  a 
door  which  he  opened  with  a  key.  He  pushed  him 
into  the  room  and  shut  the  door  after  him. 

The  dark  apartment  Was  lighted  by  a  single  tallow 
candle,  which  hung  in  a  lantern  suspended  from  the 
ceiling.  By  this  uncertain  light  Jacob  saw  stretched 
on  a  straw  pallet  in  the  corner  a  human  form  with 
one  arm  extended.  From  the  breast  of  the  man  came 
deep  and  broken  respiration  like  that  of  the  dying. 

The  condemned  made  an  effort  to  carry  his  hand 
to  his  wounded  leg,  but  he  fell  back  heavily  with  a 
sharp  cry.  His  head  was  a  little  raised,  and  by  the 
ray  of  light  which  fell  on  his  face,  Jacob,  with  a  great 
cry  of  sorrow,  recognized  Ivas. 

With  disordered  hair,  foaming  mouth,  and  wild 
eyes,  the  young  man  raved :  — 

"  I  am  ready.  March  !  A  ball  in  my  leg  !  No 
matter  !  Down  with  the  Muscovites  !  Let  us  attack 
them  !  " 

Then  silence. 

"  Ivas  !  Ivas  !  "  cried  Jacob.  "  Don't  you  know 
me?"     The  sick  man  turned  his  eyes  toward   him. 


426  THE    JEW. 

"You?  Who  are  you?"  said  he.  "Pole  or 
Russian?  A  spy,  perhaps.  Yet  that  voice  !  Aqua 
Sola  !  Lucie  Coloni !  Paris  —  the  boulevards  !  Who 
are  you?  " 

"Jacob,  your  friend  Jacob." 

"  Ah  !  Jacob  the  patriarch.  Are  you  also  a  rebel  ? 
Oh,  my  leg,  my  leg  !     It  is  terrible  !  " 

"  Ivas,  try  to  collect  your  thoughts,"  said  Jacob. 
"Perhaps  I  can  be  useful  to  you." 

"  Certainly  !  More  arms,  more  ammunition.  Give 
them  to  me  !  " 

"  My  brother,  you  are  vf*  \'l<ied ;  a  prisoner  con- 
demned." 

"  Ah,  yes  !  I  remember.  We  were  concealed  in 
the  forest.  Beaten !  Wounded  !  How  dark  it  is 
here  !  Is  it  a  hospital  or  a  tomb  ?  Can  they  not  at 
least  bury  me  decently?  " 

"  Have  you  any  wish  to  have  carried  out,  anything 
to  confide  in  me?"  asked  Jacob. 

"  The  Cossack  told  me  that  I  would  be  hanged 
to-morrow.  No  matter  !  I  will  return  to  the  world 
in  the  form  of  a  mad  dog  to  murder  them.  Towian- 
ski  teaches  the  transmigration  of  souls.  He  is  right. 
If  there  is  a  God,  where  is  he  ?  Is  he  afraid  of  the 
Russians?" 

"  Ivas,"  repeated  Jacob,  "  rouse  yourself,  and  tell 
me  if  you  have  any  last  instructions  to  give  me." 

"  Liberty  or  death  !  Have  they  all  perished  ?  The 
scaffold  awaits  me.  A  cord  of  hemp.  After  that, 
nothing  !     It  will  hurt  my  throat,  like  strong  tobacco. 


LOVE    OF    COUNTRY. 


427 


Were  you  ever  hanged,  my  Jacob?  No?  Who 
knows ;  perhaps  you  were,  under  another  form,  ac- 
cording to  Towianski.  It  will,  I  think,  be  the  first 
time  for  me.  I  haven't  the  least  idea  of  the  thing, 
but  I  will  be  calm ;  I  am  no  coward." 

"  Ivas,  have  you  any  relations,  any  friends  ?  tell 
me." 

"  None  !  My  mother  died  a  long  time  ago.  There 
is  no  cross  over  her  grave.  She  was  too  poor ;  I  was 
a  little  boy.  With  pebbles  I  designed  a  cross.  My 
father?  I  have  never  seen  him.  Other  relations? 
They  turned  the  cold  shoulder  to  me  because  I  was 
poor.     My  will?     Behold  it.     To  arms  !  " 

"  Nothing  more?" 

"Nothing,"  replied  Ivas,  who  had  somewhat  re- 
gained his  mind.  "  Nothing.  I  have  no  one  in  the 
world.  Ah,  yes  !  there  is  some  one.  You  remember 
that  old  house  that  I  showed  you  one  day  in  Warsaw  ? 
On  the  fourth  floor  lives  Marion,  sad  and  thoughtful. 
She  is  a  laundress,  but  in  her  former  life  she  was,  I 
am  sure,  a  queen.  But  she  has  forgotten  it.  I  think 
she  loves  me.  Tell  her  that  I  thought  of  her  when 
dying.  She  made  me  two  shirts  for  the  journey.  Her 
hands  are  large  and  red,  but  she  has  the  heart  of  an 
angel.  Or,  rather,  tell  her  nothing.  That  will  be 
better.  She  will  forget  me,  and  console  herself  with 
a  Russian  officer.     The  poor  girl  !  " 

"  Ivas,"  said  Jacob,  "  my  time  here  is  short,  we 
shall  never  meet  again.  Be  calm,  and  think  if  there 
is  anything  you  wish  me  to  do." 


428  THE    JEW. 

"  I  ask  you  to  avenge  me.  How  hot  I  am  !  Ah  ! 
Ah !  An  immense  cemetery.  They  dance.  The 
earth  is  freshly  broken  up  at  the  sound  of  a  violin. 
Some  bears  are  dancing.  The  good  God  is  looking 
at  them  from  heaven  through  a  little  skylight.  He 
strokes  his  mustache,  and  marks  the  measure." 

"  Ivas,"  cried  Jacob,  "  be  calm,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  there  were  millions.  We  were 
a  handful,  and  they  attacked  us,  but  we  fought  them. 
We  did  our  duty!  All  dead!  Requiescant !  Is 
this  death?  Provided  my  soul  does  not  enter  into 
the  body  of  a  Muscovite,  I  do  not  care." 

Jacob  tried,  without  success,  to  make  Ivas  realize 
his  situation.  As  soon  as  the  dying  man  became 
more  conscious,  the  pain  of  his  wound  was  so  ex- 
treme that,  to  prevent  himself  from  crying  aloud,  he 
buried  his  head  in  the  straw ;  then  the  delirium  re- 
turned.    It  was  a  heartrending  spectacle. 

"  Do  you  wish  a  priest?  "  asked  the  Jew. 

"  A  priest  ?  There  was  one  in  our  band.  Brave 
frater  !  A  ball  in  his  head,  he  is  dead.  A  priest  for 
me?  What  good?  I  have  not  confessed  since  my 
mother  was  no  longer  here  to  make  me  kneel  and 
pray.  A  priest !  I  want  none.  It  would  do  no 
good,  for  God  has  gone  on  a  visit  to  St.  Petersburg, 
and  no  one  knows  when  he  will  return.  They  do  not 
confess  the  dead,  and  I  am  already  dea'd,  although  I 
can  still  speak." 

Then  he  continued  his  raving. 

"  Do  you  think  they  could  have  taken  me  alive  ? 


LOVE    OF    COUNTRY.  429 

Never  !  Tell  Marion  that  I  had  one  of  the  shirts  on, 
and  the  handkerchief  around  my  neck,  and  also  the 
medal  of  Notre  Dame  de  Czestokowa,  but  the  mother 
of  God  did  not  aid  me  !     They  have  killed  me!" 

Jacob  tried  to  revive  him  with  some  cologne  that 
he  had  in  a  little  flask.  He  bathed  his  forehead  and 
temples,  and  poured  several  drops  in  his  mouth ;  but 
it  was  useless. 

"  You  perfume  me,"  said  the  poor  boy.  "  I  smell 
it.     I  cannot  go  to  the  ball,  I  cannot  dance." 

He  grew  worse  and  his  ravings  continued.  Snatches 
of  songs,  military  commands,  fragments  of  prayers  and 
oaths,  were  all  mingled  together  in  an  unintelligible 
manner. 

Jacob  was  kneeling,  holding  the  burning  head  of 
his  friend,  when  suddenly  some  one  struck  his  shoul- 
der.    It  was  the  officer. 

"  Enough  of  this  !  Get  up  and  come  away  !  "  said 
he. 

"  Dear  Ivas,"  cried  Jacob,  without  paying  attention 
to  the  man ;  "  one  word  more,  dear  Ivas,  your  last 
word  !  " 

The  condemned  raised  himself,  threw  his  arms 
around  his  friend's  neck,  and  with  an  expression  full 
of  love  and  enthusiasm,  cried  :  — 

"  My  country  !  " 

Then  he  fell  back  weeping  and  laughing  at  the  same 
time.  The  delirium  had  returned.  The  officer  took 
Jacob  by  the  shoulder  and  forced  him  out  of  the 
room. 


430  THE    JEW. 

Madre  awaited  him,  and  before  he  let  them  depart 
the  officer  extorted  a  present. 

Before  retiring,  Jacob  knocked  at  Jankiel's  door. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  poor  man?  "  asked  his  host. 

"Yes." 

Then  he  detailed  the  interview  with  Ivas  which  ter- 
minated with  the  thrilling  words,  "  My  country  !  " 

During  this  sad  recital,  in  the  silence  of  the  night 
they  could  hear,  on  the  square  below,  the  blows  of  a 
hammer.  It  was  the  gibbet .  of  the  young  patriot 
which  they  were  finishing  in  the  centre  of  the  market- 
place.    They  passed  the  rest  of  the  night  in  prayer. 

Ivas  died  before  daybreak,  and  as  they  were  un- 
able to  execute  him  living,  they  hanged  his  dead 
body.  The  Russians  having  thus  proclaimed  their 
victory  quitted  the  village,  leaving  their  souvenir  of 
terrorism. 


THE    GORDIAN   KNOT. 


431 


CHAPTER     XXIX. 

THE   GORDIAN    KNOT. 

The  same  morning  that  Jacob  left  his  house  for  fear 
of  arrest,  Henri  Segel  returned  to  breakfast.  It  was 
only  at  meal- times  that  he  saw  his  wife,  and  then  for 
but  a  few  moments.  He  usually  went  away  so  early 
in  the  morning  that  Mathilde  rarely  saw  him  until 
evening. 

This  day  the  poor  woman,  consoled  by  her  ex- 
planation with  Jacob,  had  more  colour  than  usual, 
and  appeared  to  have  recovered  her  health. 

"  I  am  really  distressed,"  said  Henri,  seating  him- 
self at  table,  "  and  you  will  share  my  anxiety  when  you 
hear  that  Mann's  prophecy  has  been  realized.  They 
have  tried  to  arrest  Jacob." 

Mathilde  grew  very  pale,  and  cried  :  — 

"  Arrested  ?     Did  you  say  arrested  ?  " 

"Why  this  emotion?"  replied  her  husband 
smiling. 

"  Answer  me  !     I  beg  of  you  !  " 

"  He  was  warned  in  time,  and  has  eluded  the  police, 
but  they  have  searched  his  house." 

"I  breathe,"  said  Mathilde.  "Is  that  all  you 
know?" 

"  Provided  with  a  passport  he  will  probably  leave 


432  THE    JEW. 

for  Austria  or  Prussia.  He  is  a  strange  man,  I  never 
could  understand  his  character." 

His  wife  smiled.  Henri  was  annoyed  at  this  mock- 
ing smile  and  said  :  — 

"It  seems  to  amuse  you  that  he  should.be  an 
enigma  to  me." 

"  Not  at  all.  It  is  very  natural.  Your  characters 
are  so  dissimilar,  that  you  could  not  possibly  under- 
stand each  other." 

Henri  replied,  with  some  bitterness  :  — 

"  You  are  very  flattering.  If  this  man,  so  opposite 
to  me,  has  all  your  sympathy,  what  sentiment  then 
have  you  for  your  humble  servant?  " 

"  My  sentiment  for  you,"  replied  Mathilde  simply, 
"  you  already  know.  It  has  satisfied  you,  and  you 
have  never  tried  to  awaken  any  other." 

Henri  looked  at  his  watch,  took  his  hat,  and  started 
to  go;  then  he  returned,  and  said  in  an  offended 
tone  :  — 

"  My  dear,  if  you  are  tired  of  our  conjugal  tie  you 
have  only  to  say  so.  It  is  very  distressing  to  me 
to  be  the  cause  of  your  regret  and  of  your  secret 
sorrows." 

Mathilde  looked  at  him  with  an  air  of  dignity. 

"  You  wish  to  say,"  asked  she,  "  that  you  do  not 
find  the  situation  to  your  taste  ?  " 

"  How  can  it  be  agreeable  for  me  to  contemplate 
without  ceasing  the  statue  of  melancholy?  Is  this 
happiness?  I  think  not.  You  must  at  least  admit 
that  I  bear  my  fate  heroically." 


THE    GORDIAN  KNOT.  433 

" You  reproach  me?" 

"  Your  sadness,  your  gloomy  looks,  say  plainly  that 
you  are  not  happy.'' 

"  You  believe,  then,  that  the  honour  of  being  your 
wife  ought  to  make  me  happy  ?  What  can  we  do  ?  We 
cannot  change  anything,  can  we  ?  We  must  bear  it, 
for  we  have  taken  before  God  a  sacred  vow,  and  must 
drink  from  the  same  cup,  be  it  bitter  or  sweet." 

Henri  grew  excited,  while  his  wife's  face  remained 
as  calm  as  marble.  He  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and 
hastily  left  the  room.  The  carriage  awaited  him,  and 
he  was  driven  alone  to  Muse.  She  was  all  alone,  but 
ready  to  receive  company.  She  was  elegantly  dressed, 
perfumed,  and  in  charming  humour,  and  she  greeted 
Segel  warmly. 

"  Have  you  heard  the  news?  "  asked  he. 

"What  news?" 

"Jacob  has  fled." 

"  How  could  I,  living  in  the  same  house,  be  ignorant 
of  it ;  and  I  trembled  for  him,  from  what  I  know  of 
Colonel  Sofronof  and  Count  Bavorof." 

"He  is  now  almost  an  outlaw,"  replied  Henri. 
"  More  than  once  I  have  attempted,  but  unsuccessfully, 
to  make  him  listen  to  reason.  What  eccentricity  ! 
He  has  often  argued  with  the  Russians  and  told  all 
his  thoughts,  and  the  Russians  did  not  like  his  sin- 
cerity; they  required  that  men's  convictions  should 
bow  to  them,  or  else  be  concealed.  I  pity  Jacob ; 
but  he  is  incorrigible  and  destitute  of  all  prudence  or 
policy." 


434  THE   7EIV- 

Several  visitors  arrived.  There  was  as  usual  a 
mixed  crowd,  and  on  one  side  Mann  harangued  a 
little  group  of  friends. 

"  I  avow  to  you,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  that  I  am 
delighted  to  be  delivered  from  Jacob.  He  was  a  most 
compromising  person,  who  belonged  to  neither  party. 
He  stood  entirely  alone,  and  such  individuals  are 
naturally  victims  of  their  narrow  individuality ;  but 
after  all  I  hope  that  nothing  very  bad  will  happen  to 
him." 

"  Provided  that  he  is  not  drawn  into  the  revolution," 
remarked  some  one. 

"  I  do  not  fear  that,"  replied  Mann.  "  Jacob  is 
not  a  man  of  action.  He  knows  how  to  think  and 
talk  only." 

Just  then  Mathilde's  father  came  in ;  he  was  much 
disturbed. 

"What  has  become  of  Jacob,"  asked  he. 

"  He  has  gone." 

"  Where  ?  That  is  what  I  wish  to  know.  He  was 
the  cause  of  a  pretty  scene  at  my  house.  His  old 
Jewess  mother  came  there  in  her  ridiculous  costume 
early  this  morning.  She  caused  a  general  laugh  in  the 
house.  That  is  not  all.  Unfortunately  there  arrived 
just  then  an  aide  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine. 
She  was  seated  in  the  salon.  Groans,  tears,  lamenta- 
tions ;  judge  of  my  situation  !  I  had  great  trouble 
to  rid  myself  of  her.  What  a  foolish  visit !  The  good 
woman  does  not  know  where  her  son  has  gone  but 
she  is  sure  he  has  not  crossed  the  frontier." 


THE    GORDIAN  KNOT.  435 

"  We  shall,  no  doubt,  soon  hear  of  his  exploits," 
said  Henri.  "  The  laurels  of  Berko  will  prevent  his 
sleeping.  He  dreamed  of  the  picture  of  Kossack, 
and  of  giving  the  artist  a  new  subject.  That  which  is 
most  deplorable  in  this  adventure  is  that  it  prejudices 
the  government  against  us  all.  It  will  be  necessary 
for  us  to  be  very  circumspect,  and  to  furnish  fresh 
proofs  of  our  devotion  and  of  our  loyalty." 

During  these  remarks  from  Mann  the  fascinating 
Muse  questioned  Colonel  Sofronof  about  Jacob.  He 
feigned  surprise,  and  vowed  that  he  had  not  heard  of 
Jacob's  flight,  with  an  assurance  that  proved  that  he 
knew  more  about  it  than  any  one  else.  He  questioned 
right  and  left,  expressed  some  chagrin,  and  promised 
to  make  some  inquiries,  and  from  his  face  even  Mann 
guessed  that  the  source  of  the  denunciation  was  well 
known  to  him. 

"  In  these  days,"  murmured  Sofronof,  "  it  is  wise  to 
be  doubly  prudent  as  to  what  we  say.  Jacob  did  not 
weigh  his  words.  I  think,  however,  that  he  is  not 
threatened  with  anything  terrible.  Perhaps  tempo- 
rary exile  to  the  borders  of  Russia.  He  will  not  be 
executed." 

After  the  visitors  had  gone,  Muse  was  going  to  the 
piano  when  her  mother  came  to  her. 

"  Let  us  have  a  chat,"  said  she. 

"Well,  say  on,  dear  mamma." 

"  In  all  probability  Jacob  will  never  return." 

"No  matter,  he  is  crossed  off  my  list." 

"  Against  whom,  then,  are  your  batteries  directed  ?  " 


436  THE    JEW. 

"  Against  Henri  first.     Failing  him,  Sofronof." 

"I  wish  to  talk  of  this  Muscovite.  Under  his 
polished  exterior  I  can  discern  the  Tartar;  his  fortune 
is  problematic,  and  his  character  is  amiable  enough  in 
society  to  be  disagreeable  in  private  life.  I  do  not 
like  him.  He  is  a  cold-blooded  animal.  Why  do 
you  not  repulse  him?" 

"  Alas  !  It  may  be  necessary  to  take  him  as  a  last 
resort." 

"  Henri  gives  us  very  little  hope.  He  will  not 
divorce  Mathilde,  and  she  obstinately  lives  on.  She 
is  not  consumptive ;  her  physician  has  told  me  so. 
Her  malady  is  only  ennui  and  weakness.  She  may 
live  for  years." 

"  Never  fear.  Henri  becomes  more  amorous  each 
day.  He  has  no  secrets  from  me,  and  he  has  de- 
cided to  divorce  her ;  but,  can  you  believe  it,  mamma, 
she  does  not  wish  it.  As  she  loves,  I  thought  the 
idea  would  please  her ;  but  no.  She  has  I  know  not 
what  strange  notions  of  the  sanctity  of  marriage,  the 
marital  tie,  and  marriage  vows,  such  ridiculous  ideas  ! 
The  English  governess,  who  often  hears  the  conversa- 
tion of  the  lovers,  has  related  to  me  these  sentimental 
scenes.  It  is  a  Platonic  love  taken  from  some  old 
romance,  and  not  from  the  romances  of  to-day,  —  a 
mystical  and  unintelligible  love.  What  fools  they  are 
to  refuse  their  own  happiness  !  Mathilde  has  even 
told  me  of  her  theories.  I  adroitly  led  the  conversa- 
tion to  the  subject.  Poor  woman  !  I  could  scarcely 
keep  from  laughing  in  her  face.     Henri  seeks  his  own 


THE    GORDIAN  KNOT. 


437 


desires  and  mine.  He  dreads  only  the  explanation 
with  his  father-in-law." 

"  If  you  have  gone  so  far  with  Henri,  I  must 
hesitate  no  longer,"  said  the  mother.  "  We  cannot 
wait  in  this  suspense  until  the  judgment  day." 

"  These  Russians,  Bavorof  and  Sofronof,  have  played 
me  a  villanous  trick  in  forcing  Jacob's  flight.  He 
would  have  been  of  great  use  to  us.  Henri  counted 
on  his  presence  when  he  put  the  question  of  divorce 
before  his  father-in-law,  for  Samuel  would  be  disposed 
to  consent  on  condition  that  Mathilde  would  marry 
Jacob  immediately  after  the  rupture.  No  Jacob,  no 
divorce.     We  counted  on  him,  and  now  he  is  gone." 

"What'  a  misadventure,"  cried  Madame  Wtor- 
kowska,  wringing  her  hands. 

"  Bah  !  We  can  arrange  it.  I  will  have  Henri. 
The  others?     I  am  disgusted  with  them. 

Her  mother  said  in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  To  marry  Henri  will  be  the  same  as  to  marry  a 
widower,  for  a  divorce  is  almost  the  same  thing." 

"What  has  that  to  do  with  it?  I  wonder  how 
many  times  most  men  have  been  widowers  before 
marriage." 

"  That  is  true.  Then  that  is  no  objection ;  but  you 
must  hasten  things,  my  child.     Be  quick  about  it." 

"  Ah  !  I  understand  that  there  is  no  money  in  the 
house.     I  will  borrow  some  of  Henri." 

Madame  Wtorkowska  thanked  Heaven  that  had 
given  her  so  practical  a  daughter. 


438  THE    JEW. 


CHAPTER     XXX. 

THE    INSURGENTS. 

"H ,July,  1863. 

"The  Russians  had  scarcely  vacated  the  village 
when  the  insurgents  arrived.  They  marched  through 
the  streets,  bearing  a  banner  on  which  the  national 
colours  were  surmounted  by  a  white  eagle  painted  on 
wood.  They  were  a  small  band  of  men,  armed  for 
the  most  part  with  scythes  and  pike- staffs,  while  some 
had  only  heavy  sticks  with  pointed  iron  ends.  There 
were  no  uniforms.  Each  one  was  equipped  and  clad 
as  circumstances  had  permitted  at  the  time  of  his 
enrolment.  Their  forms  were  strong,  and  their 
faces  expressed  energy  already  clouded  by  dark  de- 
spair. All  knew  that  they  were  marching  to  certain 
death,  and  knew  not  what  torture  or  misery  awaited 
them. 

"  The  body  of  Ivas  had  been  cut  down  after  the 
execution,  but  the  gibbet  still  presented  its  gloomy 
front  to  the  market-place.  The  chief  of  the  insurgents 
saluted  it,  and  inclined  his  head,  and  all"  his  troop  fol- 
lowed his  example.  It  was  a  mute  and  solemn 
homage  rendered  to  a  martyr. 

"  I  could  not  help  feeling  for  these  men  a  sentiment 


THE    INSURGENTS. 


439 


in  which  was  mingled  compassion,  sympathy,  and 
respect. 

"  The  young  commander  recognized  me,  for  he  had 
seen  me  with  Ivas  at  Warsaw.  He  was  much  affected 
to  hear  from  me  that  the  condemned  man  had  been 
our  mutual  friend.  <  One  of  our  bravest,'  murmured 
he ;  '  but  our  country  demands  such  sacrifices.  Oh, 
if  only  we  were  better  armed  !  ' 

"  Our  conversation  was  not  of  long  duration.  The 
detachment  had  entered  the  village  only  to  recruit, 
and  succeeded  in  gaining  a  dozen  volunteers.  They 
also  found  some  guns  and  swords,  dating  from  1831, 
covered  with  rust. 

"This  heroism  in  poverty  transported  me  back 
several  centuries  to  the  times  when  the  Israelites 
rose  against  Roman  oppression.  Here  was  the  same 
self-sacrificing  spirit,  the  same  love  of  liberty.  My 
eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  thoughts  came  into  my 
head  that  I  had  not  before  entertained. 

"  Let  us  go  with  them,  thought  I.  Let  us  die  in 
the  ranks  of  these  heroes.  It  is  glorious  to  shed  one's 
blood  for  his  brothers. 

"Yesterday  I  would  have  hesitated.  To-day  I 
felt  around  me  such  an  empty  void  that  the  future 
appeared  aimless,  and  the  thought  of  action  inspired 
me.  I,  who  had  refused  money  for  the  revolution,  I 
would  offer  my  life.  This  seems  strange,  does  it  not  ? 
But  do  not  condemn  me  without  reflection.  It  is 
necessary  to  seal  the  act  of  alliance,  contracted  be- 
tween the  Israelites  and  Poles.  My  example  will 
prove  that  this  alliance  is  accomplished. 


440  THE    JEW. 

"  This  letter,  friend  of  my  youth,  is  like  my  last 
testament. 

"I  recommend  to  you  my  mother.  Let  my 
brother  Israelites  know  why  I  have  taken  this  step. 
I  owe  to  the  mission  that  we  have  received  from  God 
to  return  again  to  the  past  of  an  elect  people.  This 
mission  is,  to  be  more  noble,  more  devout,  and  more 
loving  than  other  men. 

"  Farewell !  You  already  know  all  I  wish  to  say, 
for  you  have  always  been  the  confidante  of  my  inmost 
thoughts.  It  is  you  who  have  inspired  me  with  the 
resolution  I  have  taken.  If  you  had  left  me  the 
shadow  of  a  hope,  I  would,  perhaps,  have  valued  my 
life  more ;  but  you  said  one  evening  that  a  woman 
ought  to  be  the  wife  of  one  man  only,  and  as  at  the 
same  time  my  brother  Israelites  have  refused  to  listen 
to  my  voice,  I  am  convinced  that  I  am  useless  here 
below. 

"  Do  not  regret  me.  God  will  give  me  grace  to 
meet  death  joyfully. 

"  To-morrow  we  leave  here.  I  am  well  equipped. 
I  have  bought  a  horse  and  arms ;  I  shall  serve  as  a 
private  soldier,  for  there  are  already  too  many 
leaders. 

"  God  is  great  j  the  soul  is  immortal,  and  pure  spirits 
may,  perhaps,  meet  again  in  another  world." 

The  reader  has  already  divined  that  this  was  a 
letter  addressed  by  Jacob  to  Mathilde.  We  have 
suppressed  the  commencement,  which  related  to  events 
spoken  of  in  the  preceding  pages. 


THE  INSURGENTS.  441 

Henri  Segel  received  it  in  his  mail,  and  hastened  to 
take  it  to  his  wife. 

"What  can  it  be?  "  asked  he. 

"  A  letter  from  Jacob,"  she  replied,  without  hesi- 
tation, recognizing  his  writing. 

She  read  it  hastily. 

"What  has  become  of  him,"  asked  Henri  again. 

"  He  has  joined  the  insurrection." 

"Ah,  it  wanted  only  that !  He  has  done  us  a  great 
injury.  The  government  will  imagine  that  we  are  all 
more  or  less  implicated  in  his  folly.  But  is  the  thing 
certain?" 

"There  is  no  doubt  whatever,"  and  Mathilde  read 
with  a  trembling  voice  a  passage  from  the  letter. 
The  husband  seeing  her  so  agitated  left  her,  and 
himself  became  thoughtful  and  gloomy. 

The  news  spread  from  mouth  to  mouth  over  the 
city.  Some  refused  to  believe  it,  while  others  re- 
joiced at  it.  Jacob  had  no  warm  friends,  and  few 
were  sorry  for  him. 

The  same  evening  Sofronof  went  in  triumph  to 
Muse. 

"  Well !  He  has  joined  the  insurgents,  this 
man  that  you  accused  me  of  suspecting  without 
motive  !  " 

"You  jest.  Was  he  not  the  enemy  of  the  revo- 
lution?" 

"Yet  he  has  enlisted  under  their  banner.  The 
Poles  are  all  the  same.  The  sight  of  their  eaglet 
always  has  an  irresistible  attraction  for  them." 


442  THE    JEW. 

"  It  is  nothing  to  me,"  replied  Muse  j  "  but  I  will 
not  believe  it  without  more  ample  information." 

Just  then  Henri  Segel  arrived  and  confirmed  the 
news.  He  had  a  dejected  air,  and  was  careful  not 
to  speak  of  the  letter  the  colonel  had  had  in  his  hand 
that  morning.  He  well  knew  that  all  suspicious  letters 
were  read  before  the  distribution  of  the  post. 

Mathilde's  father  also  was  much  chagrined  on  hear- 
ing the  news.  Without  deep  feeling,  he  had,  never- 
theless, a  certain  affection  for  his  cousin.  Perhaps, 
also,  he  counted  on  him  for  restoring  to  health  his 
daughter,  whom  he  saw  daily  fade  before  his  eyes. 
Without  saying  anything,  he  hastened  to  Mathilde  at 
the  hour  when  he  was  sure  to  find  her  alone.  The 
servant  said  to  him  that  she  was  ill,  and  had  given 
orders  to  admit  no  one ;  but  the  father,  using  his 
authority,  went  straight  to  her  bedroom.  He  found 
her  with  disordered  hair,  eyes  red  with  weeping,  and 
cheeks  burning  with  fever.  Mathilde  was  no  longer 
the  marble  statue,  cold,  resigned,  impassable,  inert. 

At  the  sight  of  an  unexpected  visitor  she  blushed 
with  the  timidity  of  a  child.  But  her  education  had 
inculcated  a  respect,  almost  a  veneration,  for  her 
father,  who  had  repelled  all  familiarity,  all  confidence  ; 
she  tried,  with  a  forced  smile,  to  conceal  the  violence 
of  her  grief. 

"I  pity  Jacob,"  said  the  father  abruptly.  "He 
courts  his  ruin ;  1  wish  to  save  him." 

"But  how  can  you?"  asked  the  daughter. 

Samuel  did  not  reply  immediately.    He  took  several 


THE    INSURGENTS. 


443 


steps  about  the  room.  It  cost  him  something  to  be, 
for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  frank  with  his  child. 
Suddenly  he  stopped  before  her,  and,  looking  at  her 
fixedly,  said :  — 

"  Your  secret  is  known  to  me.  Common  sense  has 
until  now  commanded  me  to  close  my  eyes.  But  the 
time  has  come  to  treat  the  wound  by  severe  cauteriza- 
tion. Now  or  never.  You  love  Jacob,  and  he  loves 
you.  This  love  has  not  died  out.  I  believed  that 
your  childish  affection  would  disappear,  but,  contrary 
to  my  expectations,  it  has  remained  permanent,  and 
surpasses  all  my  ideas  of  love.  You  are  unhappy  with 
Henri ;  he  was  not  made  for  you  ;  his  spirit  is  earthly, 
and  yours  is  exalted  in  a  high  degree." 

"  Nevertheless,"  said  Mathilde,  "  I  have  nothing  to 
say  against  Henri." 

"  You  mean  that  he  observes  the  proprieties ;  and 
yet  he  has  let  himself  be  fascinated  by  Muse,  who 
deceives  and  despoils  him.  Do  you  wish  to  save 
Jacob?  You  can  do  it;  you  alone.  I  will  arrange  a 
divorce  with  Henri.  He  is  anxious  for  it.  Give  your 
consent,  and  the  thing  is  done ;  then  I  will  marry  you 
to  Jacob,  who  will  make  you  happy.  You  can  live  in 
Italy,  and  in  a  few  years,  when  the  country  is  again 
peaceful,  you  can  return  to  Poland.  I  will  obtain 
Jacob's  amnesty  ;  I  have  influence  enough  for 
that." 

Mathilde  kissed  her  father's  hand,  and  said  :  — 

"  Dear  father,  I  have  never  seen  you  as  you  are  to- 
day, so  sympathetic  toward  your  child,  so  thoughtful 


444  rHE   JEW- 

for  Jacob.     Do  not  be  angry,  do  not  tell  me  that  I  am 
foolish,  but  it  is  impossible." 

"Why?     Why?" 

Mathilde  replied  with  timidity  :  — 

"  I  love  him  too  well  to  throw  myself  in  his  arms. 
I,  a  poor  faded  creature,  broken  and  soiled  by  another. 
Do  you  understand  me?  " 

"  No  !  Truly  !  This  is  refinement  which  is  beyond 
my  comprehension,  a  morbid  sentimentality.  You 
say  you  love  him  ?  The  devil !  What  more  do  you 
want?" 

Mathilde,  sighing,  replied  :  — 

"  I  have  dreamed  of  a  different  kind  of  happiness." 

"  Give  up  these  reveries,  and  content  yourself  with 
the  reality.  Do  you  accept  my  proposition?  Yes 
or  no?" 

"  Read  his  letter,"  said  she,  drawing  near  to  the 
lamp.     "  Here  it  is  ;  I  will  reply  afterward." 

Samuel  took  the  letter,  and  commenced  to  read  it 
attentively.  Mathilde  retired  to  the  next  room,  which 
was  not  lighted.  She  sank  into  meditation.  She  was 
torn  by  two  conflicting  feelings  :  her  unworthiness  of 
becoming  Jacob's  wife,  and  the  desire  to  belong  to  the 
man  she  loved.  In  her  perplexity  she  seemed  to  hear 
an  inner  voice  which  said,  "  Let  your  father  decide." 
At  the  same  time  she  accused  herself  of  weakness,  and 
her  heart  beat  violently. 

"The  letter,"  said  her  father,  "confirms  me  in  my 
opinion.  You  alone  can  save  him.  A  strange  dreamer 
is  your  Jacob ;  but,  after  all,  he  possesses  that  which 


THE    INSURGENTS.  445 

most  of  us  lack,  —  firm  principles  and  profound  con- 
victions.    One  esteems  him  in  spite  of  one's  self." 

Not  caring  to  appear  in  the  full  light,  the  young 
woman  murmured  in  an  agitated  voice  :  — 

"  I  am  proud  of  you,  my  father.  Dispose  of  your 
child  as  you  please."  Then  she  threw  herself  at  his 
knees,  and  Samuel  felt  awaken  in  his  heart  feelings 
which  he  had  not  believed  himself  capable  of  in- 
dulging. 

Lifting  her  up  tenderly,  he  said,  smiling :  — 

"  I  will  attend  to  the  affair.  Sit  down  and  write  to 
Jacob  that  you  are  free.  He  has  only  to  equip  fifty 
or  a  hundred  soldiers  to  replace  him,  and  excuse  his 
retirement." 

He  spoke  with  a  rapidity  and  warmth  that  surprised 
himself,  and  he  experienced  a  sensation  of  happiness 
altogether  novel  to  him. 

When  his  daughter  had  finished  the  letter,  he  kissed 
her  tenderly,  and  whispered  in  her  ear :  — 

"  Not  a  word  of  this  to  Henri.  I  will  manage 
everything,  and  spare  you  needless  annoyance." 

Soon  after  Samuel  appeared  at  the  salon  of  the 
Wtorkowskas.  The  siren  was  at  the  piano,  sur- 
rounded by  her  Muscovite  gallants,  who,  listening, 
forgot  their  administrative  cares.  Under  cover  of  a 
general  movement,  he  quietly  drew  near  Madame 
Wtorkowska. 

"I  have  something  to  say  to  you,  madame," 
whispered  he.  "  It  is  about  an  important  matter  that 
concerns  you," 


446  THE    JEW. 

"Very  good!"  replied  she,  rising  and  taking  his 
arm.     "  Come  to  my  room." 

When  they  were  alone,  Samuel  asked  :  — 

"  No  one  can  hear  us,  I  hope  ?  I  wish  to  speak  to 
you  with  entire  frankness." 

"  Do  as  you  would  in  your  own  house,"  replied 
she. 

"To  play  a  part  is  disagreeable  to  me,  and  so  to 
open  the  matter  I  will  tell  you,  without  reserve,  that 
I  know  that  you  are  ruined,  dear  madame." 

"Softly,  softly!" 

"  Softly,  softly  !  I  am  aware  that  your  only  fortune 
is  your  debts.  Your  only  hope  is  your  daughter.  To 
find  a  rich  husband  is  not  so  easy.  I  am  sure  that 
these  are  your  opinions." 

"  We  have  several  persons  in  view,  monsieur." 

"Who  are  they?  " 

"  Count  Bavorof." 

"  Bah  !  A  Russian  who  has  no  fortune  but  his 
position.  Beside,  he  is  married.  His  wife  lives  in 
Paris,  and  has  no  wish  to  be  free,  and  in  Russia 
divorce  can  be  obtained  only  by  special  influence.  I 
do  not  think  you  would  be  willing  to  give  Muse  to  the 
count." 

"  What  nonsense  you  are  talking." 

"Who  next?" 

"  Colonel  Sofronof  is  madly  in  love." 

"  In  the  Russian  fashion.  Sofronof  lives  by  his 
appointments  and  thefts.  He  possesses  some  land, 
mortgaged  to  its  full  value,     Let  him  pass.     Next  ?  " 


THE    INSURGENTS. 


447 


"  The  counsellor  of  state,  Pikulinski." 

"What!  that  old  fool?" 

"  For  a  husband  it  does  not  matter." 

"  That  is  true.  In  marriage,  foolishness  is  at  times 
a  good  quality ;  but  his  little  property  is  pledged  to 
the  Credit  Foncier.  Your  counsellor  is  a  nobody.  His 
emoluments  are  too  slender.     Another?  " 

Madame  Wtorkowska  sighed  deeply.  She  was  at 
the  end  of  her  list,  for  it  was  hardly  worth  while  to 
mention,  after  the  counsellor,  two  petty  officials  who 
possessed  only  their  titles  and  their  brilliant  uniforms. 
Naturally  she  dared  not  suggest  Henri  Segel  to  his 
father-in-law. 

"  Why,  madame,"  replied  Samuel,  "  are  you  lacking 
in  sincerity,  when  I  come  to  chat  with  you  in  the 
most  confidential  manner?" 

"  And  whence  comes,  monsieur,  this  suddenly 
friendly  guardianship  for  my  daughter  and  myself?  " 

"  Your  question  is  logical.  It  may  be  possible  that 
I  am  myself  interested  in  the  affair,  and  that  may  be 
the  cause  of  my  solicitude  to  serve  you.  Confess,  then, 
with  an  open  heart.  Do  not  hesitate  to  mention  the 
name  of  my  son-in-law,  whom  you  have  so  en- 
tangled." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  I  cannot  shut  my  door  on 
Monsieur  Segel." 

"I  know  your  plans,  dear  lady,"  replied  Samuel 
laughing.  "  Let  us  show  our  cards  and  be  friends. 
You  have  speculated  —  own  it  —  on  Mathilde's  phthisis. 
You  have  even  wished  that  her  physician  would  con- 


448  THE    JEW. 

firm  your  hopes.  Bitter  deception  !  And  during  this 
time  you  have  endeavoured  to  ensnare  Henri,  and  you 
have  made  an  easy  conquest.  Now,  listen  to  me, 
madame.  My  daughter  cannot  be  happy  with  him. 
I  cede  him  to  you.  Take  him.  Try  and  persuade 
him  to  demand  a  divorce ;  the  initiative  will  never 
come  from  Mathilde.  You  will  have  me  for  an 
accomplice.  I  give  him  up  freely.  Do  what  you  wish, 
provided  you  rid  me  of  him.  Do  you  now  understand 
the  cause  of  my  solicitude  for  you?  " 

Madame  Wtorkowska  was  stupefied.  She  stood 
still  a  moment.  Then  her  joy  overcame  her.  She 
threw  her  arms  around  Samuel's  neck,  and  kissed  him 
several  times  ;  but,  as  he  did  not  enjoy  the  caresses  of 
elderly  matrons,  he  freed  himself  from  her  embraces, 
and  said  :  — 

"  Twenty  or  twenty-five  years  ago  this  exuberance 
of  affection  on  your  part  would  have  charmed  me. 
To-day  it  is  too  late.  I  am  too  old.  What  do  you 
think  of  my  proposition  ?  " 

"  Dear  benefactor,"  replied  she,  wiping  the  perspi- 
ration from  her  face  with  her  handkerchief,  "  I  cannot 
reply  without  consulting  Emusia.  In  a  few  moments 
my  rooms  will  be  empty ;  she  will  see  you  herself. 
Wait  here." 

"  With  pleasure,  madame  ;  but  I  will  light  a  cigar  if 
you  will  permit  it." 

"Ten  if  you  wish,"  replied  the  mother,  closing  the 
door  on  Samuel. 

There  were  still  some  visitors  in  the  salon.     She 


THE   INSURGENTS. 


449 


made  a  secret  sign  to  her  daughter,  and  a  few 
moments  afterward  Muse  complained  of  a  headache. 
Her  admirers  regretfully  took  their  hats  and  left 
the  house.  The  particulars  of  the  interview  were 
soon  learned,  and  her  delight  was  equal  to  that  of 
her  mother. 

Nevertheless,  before  going  to  meet  Samuel,  she  as- 
sumed a  calm  and  dignified  mien. 

"  Your  mother  has  no  doubt  spoken  of  my  proposi- 
tion. Let  us  discuss,  then,  without  restraint,"  said 
Mathilde's  father. 

"  But,  monsieur,  the  subject  is  so  delicate,  so  em- 
barrassing, so  painful." 

"  Painful,  mademoiselle,  in  what  way  ?  Not  for  you  ; 
nor  for  me,  I  think.  Delicate.  Yes  !  Let  us  treat 
it  with  delicacy." 

"  I  like  Mathilde  so  much,"  said  Muse. 

"  Then  you  will  give  her  a  real  proof  of  your  friend- 
ship by  delivering  her  of  a  husband  who  does  not  suit 
her,  who  will  suit  you,  and  who  loves  you." 

Muse  tried  to  appear  very  much  embarrassed. 

"  Dear  mademoiselle,"  said  Samuel,  "  we  can  dis- 
pense with  acting  ;  you  can  gain  nothing  by  it.  I  ask 
of  you  entire  frankness.  If  you  wish  to  succeed,  you 
must  act.  Make  Henri  believe  that  Sofronof  is  a 
dangerous  rival.  I  will  tell  everywhere  that  the 
colonel  wishes  to  marry  you  at  any  price.  Henri 
will  be  in  despair ;  then  push  him  to  the  end  of  the 
wall ;  exact  a  divorce,  and  advise  him  to  take  Mann 
for  an  intermediary  between  him  and  me." 


450  THE    JEW. 

"That  is  admirably  planned,"  cried  Madame 
Wtorkowska. 

"Yes,  the  plan  is  excellent,"  added  Muse,  putting 
aside  all  embarrassment.  "  I  am  sure  I  shall  play  my 
part  to  the  satisfaction  of  its  author." 

"  Well,  I  will  be  obliged  to  you  if  you  do  not  make 
the  play  long.     I  am  anxious  for  the  end." 

"  I  will  do  my  best." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that  you  will  accomplish  wonders," 
said  Samuel,  gallantly  kissing  her  hand.  "  And  now, 
mademoiselle,  do  not  fail  to  tell  me  if  I  can  be  in  any 
way  useful  to  you  at  any  time." 

He  then  took  his  leave.  Madame  Wtorkowska 
conducted  him  to  the  antechamber,  and  then  re- 
turned to  throw  herself  in  her  daughter's  arms.  She 
laughed  and  wept  by  turns  for  very  joy.  Muse  was 
more  quiet,  but  no  less  delighted,  and  she  passed  part 
of  the  night  making  plans  for  the  morrow. 

The  news  soon  spread  through  their  circle  of 
acquaintances  that  Mademoiselle  Wtorkowska  was 
soon  to  marry  Colonel  Sofronof.  At  first  Henri 
shrugged  his  shoulders ;  but  he  heard  it  from  so  many 
different  sources,  with  details  added  by  this  one  and 
that  one,  that  he  grew  uneasy,  and,  wishing  to  hear 
the  rumour  denied,  hastened  to  Muse. 

She  received  him  coldly,  and  was  so  reticent  on 
the  subject  that  it  seemed  as  if  she  were  en  her  guard, 
and  afraid  of  committing  some  indiscretion. 

Segel  thought  that  there  must  be  some  truth  in  the 
rumour.       He    became  furiously  angry,  and  the  in- 


THE   INSURGENTS. 


45* 


genious  coquette  soon  brought  about  a  quarrel.  He 
took  his  hat,  and  she  did  not  detain  him  ;  but  at  the 
door  he  paused,  then  returned,  threw  his  hat  on  the 
floor,  and  seated  himself  again,  filled  with  wrath. 

A  violent  scene  ensued.  Her  mother  appeared  as 
the  deus  ex  machina.  She  reproached  Henri  with 
compromising  her  daughter,  and  called  him  selfish 
and  heartless.  The  comedy  waxed  pathetic.  Finally, 
Henri  had  to  choose  between  a  dismissal  or  a  divorce. 
Vanquished  and  subdued,  he  promised  to  take  at  once 
the  steps  required  by  them. 

Muse  then  feigned  to  shed  tears,  and  he  tried  to 
console  her.  Her  mother  disappeared,  leaving  the 
lovers  alone.  Segel  obtained  some  kisses,  and  advice 
to  take  Monsieur  Mann  as  an  intermediary,  and  he 
promised  to  see  Mann  at  once.  Mann,  well  instructed, 
at  first  resisted,  moralized,  and  deplored  the  situation, 
but  ended  by  consenting. 

And  yet,  when  Henri  returned  home,  he  experi- 
enced a  strange  feeling  of  repentance  for  his  haste. 
Mathilde  presented  herself  to  his  mind  as  calm,  sweet, 
and  pure ;  Muse,  on  the  contrary,  under  a  menacing 
aspect.  The  one  he  did  not  love,  but  esteemed  ;  the 
other  he  loved,  but  did  not  esteem.  He  loved  her,  if  a 
passion  which  was  entirely  sensual  merits  that  name. 

He  saw  himself  in  the  future  bound  to  a  new  com- 
panion, full  of  coquetry  and  schemes,  and  endowed 
with  an  unendurable  mother-in-law.  He  saw  the 
luxury  with  which  he  would  have  to  surround  them, 
and  the  slavery  to  which  he  would  be  doomed.     He 


452  THE    JEW. 

shivered  with  dread  at  the  very  idea.  Unhappily  for 
him,  it  was  now  too  late  to  draw  back. 

Mathilde  looked  for  an  outburst  the  next  morning 
at  breakfast ;  but  none  came.  Henri  was  unusually 
reserved,  almost  timid  ;  he  looked  at  his  watch  often, 
and  under  pretext  of  important  business  soon  left  the 
house. 

Mann  came  to  dinner,  and  informed  Segel  of  the 
happy  result  of  his  negotiations.  At  table  the  couple, 
already  morally  divorced,  seemed  ill  at  ease.  Ma- 
thilde taciturn,  Henri  almost  mute,  let  Mann  and  two 
other  guests  do  the  talking.  At  dessert  came  Samuel, 
who  amused  the  company  for  some  time  with  his  witty 
sayings.  On  leaving  the  table  he  took  his  daughter 
by  the  hand  to  lead  her  to  the  garden.  He  insisted 
on  her  putting  on  her  hat,  saying  the  sun  was  yet 
warm ;  then  he  conducted  her  to  the  street,  where  a 
carriage  awaited  them. 

"  My  dear  child,"  said  the  father,  "  we  will  take  a 
short  ride.  It  will  do  you  good,  for  the  air  is  fresh 
and  agreeable  this  evening."  A  half-hour  after,  the 
carriage  stopped  at  the  door  of  her  father's  house. 

"  Here,"  said  he,  embracing  Mathilde,  "  is  your 
home.  You  will  not  return  to  Segel's.  I  have  had 
your  old  room  prepared  for  you." 

The  gordian  knot  was  thus  severed  with  the  greatest 
simplicity.  The  young  woman  saw  no  more  of  her 
former  husband.  Aided  by  the  English  governess, 
she  occupied  herself  with  household  cares.  With  what 
secret  satisfaction  she  renewed  her  former  life  !     Her 


THE    INSURGENTS.  453 

springtime  revived.  But  she  was  at  times  a  prey  to 
deep  anxiety,  for  Jacob  had  not  written  since  his  letter 
of  farewell,  and  all  traces  of  him  were  lost. 

The  revolution,  contrary  to  all  expectations,  took  on 
larger  proportions  daily. 

Owing  to  the  assumed  names  which  the  chiefs  and 
soldiers  of  the  insurrection  bore,  all  steps  to  ascertain 
Jacob's  whereabouts  proved  fruitless. 

Mathilde  was  almost  in  despair,  yet  she  seemed  to 
hear  a  voice  say  to  her  :  — 

"  God  will  give  him  back  to  you." 

From  that  time  she  believed  in  God. 

Each  day  she  questioned  her  father,  who,  without 
giving  her  great  hopes,  encouraged  her  not  to  despair. 
Weeks  and  months  passed.  At  last,  early  one  morning, 
he  entered  her  chamber,  and,  in  spite  of  his  en- 
deavours to  conceal  his  feelings,  appeared  much 
agitated. 

"  Prepare  to  leave  to-day,"  said  he.  "  Jacob  is  at 
Cracow,  wounded,  but  not  dangerously." 

Mathilde  gave  a  great  cry,  and  fainted,  but  soon 
came  to  herself,  and  on  the  morrow  was  with  her 
father  at  the  bedside  of  her  beloved. 


454  THE   JEIV- 


EPILOGUE. 

In  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty- five  a 
numerous  company  were  reunited  at  the  Albergo 
della  Grotta,  where  we  will  finish,  as  we  have  begun, 
our  veracious  history. 

To-day  the  company  assumed  a  more  cheerful 
aspect  than  at  the  first  meeting.  It  was  composed 
only  of  persons  whose  appearance  denoted  wealth  or 
competence.  Here  were  no  unfortunates  who  fainted 
from  want,  like  poor  Ivas,  and  on  whose  faces  could 
be  seen  traces  of  misery  and  care. 

In  the  privileged  corner  of  the  grotto,  near  the 
murmuring  fountain,  a  sumptuous  table  was  set  for 
the  most  distinguished  travellers.  Instinctively  Firpo, 
the  host,  gave  their  titles  in  advance  to  Monsieur  le 
Comte  and  Madame  la  Comtesse.  The  choicest 
wines,  the  freshest  fruits,  and  a  tablecloth  whose  snowy 
whiteness  was  only  excelled  by  the  brilliancy  of  the 
polished  silver  knives,  forks,  and  spoons,  were  for 
them.  The  other  tables  were  already  occupied  by 
the  guests,  here  singly,  there  in  groups.  All  belonged 
to  the  class  usually  called  aristocratic,  who  lead  an 
easy  and  luxurious  life. 

The  day  was  warm ;  the  blue  Italian  sky  shone  in 
all  its  splendour.  The  sea  sang  its  immortal  sym- 
phony.    The   trees  rustled  harmoniously,  the  laurels 


EPILOGUE. 


455 


exhaled  their  perfumes,  the  golden  oranges  contrasted 
with  the  dark  green  leaves,  and  the  fresh  sea-breeze 
sweetly  refreshed  the  limpid  air. 

Alone  at  a  table  a  man  was  seated.  He  was  the 
same  who,  some  years  before,  travelled  this  way  in 
company  with  the  sprightly  dancer,  Gigante.  But  he 
was  no  longer  in  joyous  humour.  He  was  Henri 
Segel  j  but  how  changed  ! 

Equally  isolated  and  bored  we  find  our  Tsigane, 
Stamlo  Gako,  whom  the  reader  has  not  forgotten. 
He  is  more  yellow  and  blacker  than  ever,  and  he  has 
grown  stout,  heavy,  and  somnolent. 

There  is  another  solitary  traveller.  It  is  Gromof, 
who  is  not  now  accompanied  by  the  charming  Lucie 
Coloni.  He  carries  his  head  high,  as  if  to  brave 
destiny.  But  his  irritation  betrays  itself  in  every 
movement.  He  amuses  himself  by  making  little  balls 
of  bread  crumbs,  and  throws  out  of  the  window  the 
fruit  that  he  has  scarcely  tasted. 

These  three  do  not  converse.  The  Russian  and 
the  gypsy  have  met  before,  as  we  have  seen,  but 
they  do  not  care  to  renew  the  acquaintance.  As  for 
Segel,  he  has  never  spoken  with  either  Gromof  or 
Gako. 

A  sumptuous  equipage  entered  the  court  of  the  inn. 
The  host  and  the  servants  hastened  to  meet  it.  A 
lady  filled  the  whole  interior  of  the  vehicle  with  her 
white  robe,  and  one  scarcely  perceived  in  one  corner 
hidden  under  the  immense  crinoline,  which  was  then 
so  fashionable,   a  little,  thin,  withered-looking  man. 


456  THE    JEW. 

They  were  no  doubt  husband  and  wife.  She 
was  in  all  the  splendour  of  her  youth,  charming, 
elegant,  confident  of  her  beauty,  proud  and  victorious. 
He,  as  one  soon  perceived,  was  the  most  humble 
servant  of  her  who  bore  his  name  and  disposed  of  his 
fortune. 

He  jumped  out  of  the  carriage,  and  with  all  the 
manner  and  gallantry  of  a  young  man,  despite  his 
fifty  and  odd  years,  presented  his  hand  to  his  queen 
to  aid  her  to  descend.  She  raised  herself  with 
indifference,  and  gathered  together  the  train  of  her 
rustling  robe. 

At  sight  of  this  beauty,  whom  he  immediately 
recognized  through  the  window  near  which  he  dined, 
Henri  rose  as  if  he  wished  to  avoid  a  disagreeable 
meeting,  but  a  retreat  was  impossible.  To  go  out  he 
must  necessarily  pass  them.  He  made  an  ironical 
grimace  and  reseated  himself. 

The  reader  has  recognized  Muse,  now  actually 
Baroness  Von  Kreig,  the  wife  of  a  wealthy  speculator, 
whose  nationality  was  a  mystery  to  all,  for  he  care- 
fully concealed  his  Jewish  origin.  He  did  not  give 
himself  out  as  a  Pole,  although  living  in  Poland,  but 
passed  sometimes  for  a  Russian,  oftener  for  a  Ger- 
man. Where  and  how  did  he  steal  the  title  of 
baron?  No  one  knew.  It  might  have  been,  said 
some,  the  recompense  of  a  great  financial  operation. 
He  wore  on  his  travelling  coat  several  ribbons  and 
decorations. 

The  reader  doubtless  expected  to  hear  of  the  mar- 


EPILOGUE.  457 

riage  of  Muse  and  Henri,  who  were  supposed  to  be 
so  much  attached  to  each  other ;  but  in  consequence 
of  the  fickleness  and  calculation  of  the  lady,  the  mar- 
riage had  not  come  to  pass.  Henri,  for  her  sake, 
had  divorced  his  wife,  had  proposed,  been  accepted, 
and  passed  for  her  future  husband  everywhere.  Muse 
introduced  him  to  all  her  friends,  and  he  was  proud 
of  his  betrothed.  It  was  then  that  the  Baron  Von 
Kreig  met  the  enchantress  on  the  street.  He  had 
known  the  mother  of  old,  but  avoided  her  because 
she  had  the  bad  habit  of  borrowing  money  which  she 
always  forgot  to  return.  The  baron  had  just  lost  his 
second  wife,  and  he  required  for  his  third,  above  all, 
good  health.  He  was  struck  with  the  blooming 
beauty  of  Muse,  and  fell  in  love  at  first  sight.  The 
next  day  he  went  to  pay  her  a  visit.  Muse  immedi- 
ately coolly  sat  down,  when  she  was  alone,  and  com- 
pared him  with  Henri.  Von  Kreig  was  ten  times 
richer,  a  baron,  and  could  introduce  her  into  the 
most  brilliant  circles  of  society.  He  was  well  educated, 
and,  although  old  and  dried  up,  was  an  excellent  match. 
Muse  put  forth  all  her  powers  of  fascination,  and  soon 
succeeded  in  bringing  the  baron  to  her  feet.  The 
marriage  with  Henri  was  delayed  under  pretext  that 
the  lace  had  not  arrived  from  Paris.  In  the  mean- 
while the  baron  gained  over  the  mother  by  consenting 
without  demur  to  the  most  advantageous  settlements 
for  the  daughter,  imposed  by  Madame  Wtorkow- 
ska.  The  engagement  was  accomplished  quietly. 
Then  there  remained  the  rather  unpleasant  task  of 


458  THE    JEW. 

breaking  with  Henri,  who  believed  himself  master  of 
the  situation,  and  laughed  at  the  attentions  of  the 
baron.  , 

It  puzzled  even  the  genius  of  these  two  women  to 
find  a  plausible  or  decent  excuse  for  the  rupture.  In 
the  intervals  of  his  life,  as  a  betrothed  between  the  acts, 
as  it  were,  Segel  sought  distraction  at  the  theatre.  He 
was  tied  to  the  gauzy  apron-strings  of  a  sylph,  or,  in 
plain  words,  a  danseuse.  This  connection  had  lasted 
for  more  than  two  years,  and  the  evenings  away  from 
Muse  were  passed  with  the  beautiful  danseuse.  He 
made  no  secret  of  it,  and  his  carriage  was  often  seen 
at  the  door  of  the  ballet-girl's  dwelling.  It  was  with 
this,  as  a  pretext,  that  Madame  Wtorkowska  sought  to 
break  the  engagement.  In  vain  Segel  asked  for  par- 
don. He  was  dismissed,  and  received  back  the  ring 
he  had  given  Muse.  For  this  engagement  ring  he 
had  paid  ten  thousand  francs,  in  Paris.  It  was  a 
superb  solitaire  surrounded  with  smaller  diamonds, 
each  half  a  carat  in  weight.  It  was  shown,  as  if  by 
accident,  to  the  baron ;  he  felt  the  sacrifice,  and  with 
noble  emulation  Von  Kreig  replaced  it  by  another 
which  cost  thirty  thousand  francs. 

Segel  stormed,  but  the  baron  solemnly  conducted 
Muse  to  the  altar.  The  newly  married  couple  started 
on  a  wedding  trip,  which  was  to  be  the  grand  tour  of 
Europe,  including  all  the  large  cities,  baths,  and  fash- 
ionable resorts. 

The  blackest  ingratitude  awaited  Madame  Wtor- 
kowska.    Her  son-in-law  paid  her  debts,  and  settled 


EPILOGUE. 


459 


on  her  a  beggarly  pension ;  then  took  his  leave  cour- 
teously, and  forbade  more  than  rare  communications 
with  her  daughter.  The  poor  woman,  who  had  calcu- 
lated on  managing  everything,  travelling  with  them, 
and  spending  money  lavishly,  prayed,  begged,  and 
threatened.  The  baron  was  inexorable,  and  replied 
by  silence  only.  The  daughter  sacrificed  her  mother 
with  Roman  stoicism,  playing  the  part  of  a  humble 
and  obedient  wife. 

Madame  was  at  first  disheartened  and  fell  ill ;  then, 
as  one  must  live,  she  rented  an  apartment  in  the  fau- 
bourg, and,  to  augment  her  income,  set  up  an  ecarte, 
taking  care  always  to  have  around  her  many  pleasing 
young  women  to  add  to  the  attractions  of  the 
place.  The  house  soon  became  well  known,  although 
no  one  cared  to  avow  openly  that  they  visited  it. 
Sofronof,  Bavorof,  and  others  remained  faithful  to  the 
unfortunate. 

As  may  be  supposed,  this  meeting  between  Muse 
and  Henri  at  the  inn  was  equally  distasteful  to  both. 
The  moment  the  baroness  entered  the  grotto  her  eyes 
fell  on  her  old  lover.  Notwithstanding  her  usual 
presence  of  mind,  she  was  confused.  More  master  of 
the  situation,  Segel  saluted  her  respectfully,  and 
smiled  bitterly. 

At  the  same  time  there  arrived  another  couple. 
They  were  quietly  dressed,  yet  with  a  certain  distinc- 
tion which  is  not  always,  as  some  think,  an  exclusive 
possession  of  birth.  They  were  the  distinguished 
guests  expected   by  the   host,  Jacob   and  Mathilde. 


460  THE    JEW. 

They  came  in,  thinking  themselves  unknown.  The 
husband  was  relating  his  first  visit  to  this  fairy  grotto  ; 
the  wife  replied  laughing.  The  sound  of  her  voice 
came  to  Henri's  ears ;  he  believed  it  at  first  a  hallu- 
cination j  he  listened  attentively,  and  could  not  doubt 
the  reality  of  his  first  impression. 

There  seemed  to  him  a  strange  fatality  in  this 
simultaneous  meeting  of  the  two  persons,  one  of 
whom  recalled  his  lost  peace,  the  other  his  vanished 
hopes.  He  could  not  see  Mathilde,  and  the  sound  of 
her  well-known  voice  seemed  to  descend  from  the 
clouds.  Curious  to  know  if  it  were  she,  he  went  to  the 
end  of  the  grotto,  where,  in  an  isolated  corner,  Jacob 
dined  with  her.  She  seemed  rejuvenated,  and  her  face 
shone  with  happiness.  Her  husband  kissed  her 
hands,  believing  himself  unobserved. 

Segel  experienced  a  feeling  of  wrath  ;  his  lips  curled 
under  a  sardonic  smile. 

"  All  happy  !  "  said  he.     "  And  I"  — 

Then  he  returned  to  his  place.  The  silvery  voice 
of  Madame  Jacob  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
baroness  also,  and  she,  likewise,  drew  near  under  pre- 
text of  examining  the  grotto.  She  gave  a  cry  of  sur- 
prise. The  couple  turned  and  recognized  Muse,  who 
tenderly  greeted  the  old  friend  whom  she  had  so  often 
wished  dead. 

"Ah,  my  dear  Mathilde,"  cried  she,"  "what  a  happy 
and  unexpected  meeting  !  " 

Truly  it  was  a  romantic  encounter,  rarely  met  with 
in  real  life.  Chance,  however,  often  plays  us  tricks 
altogether  unforeseen. 


EPILOGUE.  461 

Mathilde  did  not  share  the  apparent  joy  of  Muse, 
for  whom  she  had  no  great  affection.  But  their  ac- 
quaintance dated  back  to  the  time  when  they  both 
wore  short  dresses,  and  the  remembrances  of  child- 
hood are  always  pleasant. 

The  proprieties  required  observance,  and  Jacob  had 
his  table  carried  to  the  grand  salon,  where  their  friends 
were  dining ;  he  certainly  did  not  expect  to  see  Henri 
Segel,  and  Mathilde  saw  him  first.  She  drew  back, 
for  all  her  involuntary  unhappy  experience  with  Henri 
appeared  before  her.  Her  husband,  although  much 
annoyed,  encouraged  her  to  shake  off  her  distress. 

Segel  understood  that  his  presence  was  disagree- 
able to  all ;  therefore  it  pleased  him  to  impose  it.  It 
delighted  him  to  see  all  countenances  grow  pale  and 
abstracted  at  sight  of  him.  He  affected  a  cynical 
gayety,  drank  a  glass  of  wine,  lighted  a  cigar,  then 
turned  toward  Jacob  and  Mathilde. 

With  well-simulated  indifference  Muse  watched  the 
meeting.  Her  husband,  playing  the  young  man,  had 
risen  quickly  and  received  his  wife's  friends  with 
much  courtesy.  He  was  very  polite  to  Jacob,  and 
entirely  ignored  the  revolutionary  role  that  he  had 
played. 

Von  Kreig  detested  Henri,  but  he  deemed  it  proper 
for  a  baron  to  disguise  his  sentiments,  and  he  was  very 
courteous  to  his  vanquished  rival.  The  scene  was 
highly  dramatic.  There  was  no  outward  appearance 
of  excitement,  however,  for  men  of  the  world  do  not 
show  their  feelings  in  public. 


462  THE    JEW. 

Gromof,  roused  from  his  meditations,  looked  around 
and  perceived  Jacob. 

"How  strange,"  said  he,  "to  meet  you  again  at 
Sestri." 

"Yes,"  replied  the  latter,  "  a  real  accident.  lam 
the  same  as  ever,  you  see,  but  not  so  gay  as  then." 

The  baron  asked  in  a  low  voice  :  — 

"  Who  is  this  person?  " 

"  A  Russian,"  replied  Jacob. 

Von  Kreig,  taking  Gromof  for  a  prominent  official 
of  the  imperial  court,  was  going  to  ask  for  an  intro- 
duction, when  Jacob  whispered  in  his  ear :  — 

"An  outlaw." 

The  baron  drew  back  and,  as  he  was  a  strict  con- 
servative, thought :  — 

"  What  kind  of  company  have  we  fallen  in  with, 
anyway?  "      Then  he  said  to  Jacob  :  — 

"Madame  and  yourself  are  travelling  for  pleasure, 
are  you  not?  " 

"  We  are  obliged  to  leave  Poland,"  replied  Jacob. 
"  I  joined  the  revolutionists,  was  wounded  and  was 
taken  to  Austria,  whence  orders  came  for  me  to  leave 
the  country.  My  wife  and  I  seek  a  retreat  where  we 
may  dwell  peacefully.  It  is  not  so  easy  to  find.  No- 
where in  Europe,  except  in  Switzerland  or  England, 
is  there  much  security  for  exiles.  In  Saxony  they  are 
given  leave  to  remain  only  temporarily*  In  Bavaria 
they  are  not  given  leave  to  remain  at  all.  In  France 
an  arbitrary  expulsion,  authorized  by  the  law,  always 
like  the  sword  of  Damocles,  is  suspended  over  their 
heads;  and  in  Belgium  they  are  also  unwelcome." 


EPILOGUE.  463 

"  But  I  think,  monsieur,  that  you  can  better  your 
position.  The  Russian  government  is  magnanimous  ; 
it  has  proclaimed  a  general  amnesty." 

"  Yes,  I  could  have  obtained  that  amnesty  by  solic- 
itation. Unfortunately  the  pardon  granted  to-day 
does  not  always  do  for  to-morrow.  In  Russia  the 
despotism  of  caprice  is  the  only  law." 

Von  Kreig  frowned. 

"The  state  of  siege  exists  now,"  said  he,  "but  will 
not  last  always." 

"To  ask  permission  to  return  is  to  avow  a  fault," 
said  Jacob,  "  and  to  return  to  Poland  now  would  be 
to  act  against  my  conscience." 

The  baron  knew  not  how  to  reply.  Gromof  re- 
lieved him  of  this  embarrassment  by  joining  in  the 
conversation. 

"  I  told  you,"  said  he  to  Jacob,  "  what  would  be 
the  result  of  your  insurrection." 

"Yes,  but  it  could  not  be  avoided.  It  was  written 
that  Poland  should  be  bathed  in  blood.  It  was  a 
trial  or  a  chastisement  of  Providence ;  it  is  not  for  me 
to  say  which." 

"  You  still  believe  in  Providence  ?  What  an  incor- 
rigible child  !  All  Europe  suffers  from  your  folly. 
You  have  revealed  to  the  world  the  weakness  of 
England,  the  nullity  of  the  imperial  government  of 
Napoleon  III.,  and  the  abasement  of  the  moral  level 
of  all  society.  Formerly  other  countries  at  least  sym- 
pathized with  nations  that  were  so  oppressed,  and 
looked   with  disfavour  upon   the  cruel   tyrants  who 


464  THE    JEW. 

caused  such  suffering.  Under  Louis  Philippe  France 
did  nothing  for  Poland,  but  the  two  chambers  at  least 
protested  against  her  being  utterly  crushed.  To-day 
policy  reigns,  and  they  bow  before  superior  force.  For- 
merly many  hearts  beat  at  the  words  "  liberty"  and  "  fra- 
ternity." To-day  these  words  provoke  only  a  smile. 
Lord  Byron,  when  he  risked  his  life  for  the  indepen- 
dence of  Greece,  passed  for  a  Don  Quixote.  And 
the  country  of  these  heroes  has  legislators  who  pretend 
that  humanity  is  not  a  family,  that  there  is  no  union 
among  the  people.  Every  one  for  himself !  Every  one 
for  himself !  Behold  a  summary  of  the  actual  moral 
situation  !  Neither  you  nor  I  will  ever  see  the  sun  of 
liberty  !  " 

Von  Kreig,  terrified,  whispered  in  his  wife's 
ear :  — 

"  This  Russian  is  a  red  revolutionist." 

Henri  interposed.  He  changed  the  subject  of  the 
conversation,  and  from  Poland  passed  to  the  Jews. 
Segel  maintained  that  the  Israelites  ought  to  profit  by 
the  situation  of  things,  without  caring  what  became 
of  Poland.  Jacob  held  to  his  opinion  that  it  was 
better  to  be  with  the  oppressed  against  the  oppressors. 
Segel,  laughing  heartily,  replied  :  — 

"  This  is  romantic,  poetic,  heroic,  magnificent  j  but 
it  is  not  practical." 

"Whatever  you  may  think,"  replied  Jacob,  "it  is 
our  duty  to  convince  the  Christians  that  our  morals 
are  not  inferior  to  theirs,  that  love  of  one's  neighbour 
is  taught  in  our  books  as  in  their  Gospels,  and  that 


EPILOGUE.  465 

between  the  Mosaic  law  and  the  Christian  law  there  is 
accord  and  not  contradiction." 

"  Words,  empty  words,"  said  Henri,  "  nothing  but 
words  !  Material  interest  should  be  the  motive  of 
nations  as  well  as  individuals.  Liberty,  equality,  fra- 
ternity are  a  triple  aberration  of  mind  !  Behold  their 
result :  fields  strewn  with  dead  men  and  bones  !  " 

"  Yes ;  but  the  dead  will  rise,  the  bones  will  be  re- 
animated as  in  the  vision  of  Ezekiel." 

Jacob  commenced  to  recite  the  passage,  then,  re- 
marking that  no  one  listened  to  him,  turned  gayly  to 
his  wife  and  asked  :  — 

"  Is  not  Italy  beautiful?  " 

"  It  never  seemed  so  lovely  before,"  replied 
Mathilde  tenderly. 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  it,  madame  ?  "  asked 
he  of  the  baroness. 

"  Bah  !  "  replied  she.  "  I  suppose  one  must  con- 
form to  the  fashion  and  admire  Italy.  It  is  a  pictur- 
esque country;  but,  all  things  considered,  this  land 
filled  with  tombs  and  ruins  has  nothing  agreeable  for 
me.     Prosaic  as  it  is,  I  prefer  Paris." 

"  Now,  I  do  not  like  Paris,"  said  Jacob. 

"  Is  it  permitted  not  to  like  Paris  ?  "  cried  Von  Kreig. 
"  You  are  joking,  monsieur." 

"  Not  at  all.  The  same  places  do  not  suit  all 
characters  or  all  dispositions.  To  dreamy  and  poetic 
temperaments  I  recommend  Italy ;  Germany,  to  those 
who  are  positive  and  prosaic ;  England,  to  men  of 
enterprise  and  activity ;  and  Paris,  to  high  livers,  and 


^66  THE    JEW. 

to  ladies  who  love  the  excitements  and  gayeties  of 
society." 

"And  Poland?"  asked  Henri. 

"To  those  who  thirst  for  martyrdom,"  replied  Ja- 
cob sadly. 

"  But  now-a-days  every  one  laughs  at  these  Polish 
theories  of  suffering  and  of  sacrifice  ! " 

"Oh,  dear  and  charming  Paris  !  "  cried  the 
baroness. 

"One  vegetates  elsewhere,  one  lives  only  in  Paris," 
added  her  husband,  "and  perhaps  a  little  in  Lon- 
don." 

"  Do  not  compare  London  with  its  fogs  to  my  dear 
Paris,"  replied  his  wife. 

In  the  midst  of  this  desultory  chatting  Henri  re- 
mained obstinately  near,  until  the  veturino  which  he 
had  ordered  was  announced.  He  could  not  deny 
himself  the  bitter  pleasure  of  seeing  side  by  side  her 
who  had  been  his  wife,  and  her  who  was  to  have  been. 
He  seemed  unable  to  leave  the  place. 

Meanwhile  the  dinner  drew  to  a  close.  The  dessert 
was  brought  in,  consisting  of  figs,  spoiled  pears,  green 
grapes,  and  musty  peaches. 

"  No  comparison  is  possible,"  said  the  baron, 
"between  these  wretched  fruits  and  the  delicious 
fruits  we  get  at  Paris." 

"These  are  horrible  !"  added  his  wife,  biting  into 
the  bad  part  of  a  peach.  Then  she  turned  to  Mathilde 
and  asked  her  if  she  should  return  to  Genoa. 

"Yes;  but  not  until  evening,"  she  replied. 


EPILOGUE. 


467 


"  Well,  we  must  make  haste,  for  we  are  going  to  the 
theatre,"  said  Muse. 

They  all  arose  from  the  table.  The  baron  offered 
cigars  to  Jacob  and  Henri  Segel,  but  he  hastened  to 
quit  their  society.  One  appeared  to  be  compromising, 
the  other  altogether  odious. 

Gromof  and  the  Tsigane  chatted  together.  Muse 
drew  Mathilde  into  an  obscure  corner  of  the  grotto  to 
ask  her  this  question  :  — 

"Are  you  happy?" 

"  Above  all  expression,"  replied  she.  "  I  have  only 
one  sorrow,  —  to  see  our  native  land  in  such  an  un- 
happy condition." 

"And  Jacob?" 

"  He  is  the  best  of  men  ;  he  is  my  ideal." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  that  horrid  Henri?  " 

"  I  had  to  summon  all  my  courage  when  he  looked 
at  me  so  fixedly,  a  cold  sweat  came  on  my  forehead. 
He  is  capable  of  killing  both  of  us." 

"  No !  He  is  not  susceptible  of  so  violent  an 
emotion.  We  ought  to  pardon  him,  for  he  suffers 
keenly." 

"  Oh,  no  !  I  know  better  than  that.  He  will  easily 
console  himself." 

The  baron  was  impatient  to  depart,  and  coughed  to 
bring  back  his  wife  from  the  grotto.  At  last  the  two 
friends  separated,  saying  farewell,  and  Muse  bowed  to 
Henri  from  the  distance,  with  a  grave  dignity.  The 
brilliant  star  entered  her  carriage  and  disappeared  in 
a  cloud  of  dust  on  the  highway.     Jacob  conducted 


468  THE    JEW. 

his  wife  to  her  room  in  the  inn  and  descended  to 
the  grotto. 

Gromof  and  the  Tsigane  came  to  talk  with  him. 
The  Russian  saw  the  future  outlook  dark  and  gloomy. 
Jacob  was  rather  optimistic. 

"  Man,"  said  he,  "  ought  never  to  abandon  himself 
to  despair.  If  he  object  to  his  own  individual  lot,  it 
is  narrow-minded  and  weak.  If  he  complain  of  the 
lot  of  humanity,  it  is  blindness  or  error.  In  the  an- 
nals of  the  world  human  events  are  submitted  to  a 
normal  development,  an  intelligent  fatality  which  is 
not  arrested  by  the  stupidity  and  malevolence  of  men. 
The  law  of  destiny,  whatever  we  may  do,  will  prevail. 
Patience,  and  the  storm  will  disappear." 

"  And  we,  —  we  cannot  expect  to  live  to  see  the 
sun  appear ! " 

"  Our  children  will  see  it,  perhaps.  In  the  collective 
existence  of  humanity  there  is  a  cohesion  of  facts 
which  do  not  exist  in  the  same  individual  existences. 
Individuals  are  only  the  stones  of  a  vast  edifice." 

"You  are  a  happy  man  from  all  points  of  view,"  de- 
clared Henri.  "  You  have  faith  in  the  aim  of  life, 
you  possess  serenity  of  soul ;  nothing  is  lacking." 

"  And  you  ?  Can  you  not  acquire  the  same  happi- 
ness?" 

"  No.  I  have  squeezed  life  like  a  lemon.  There 
remains  to  me  only  the  bitter  peel.  I  exist  aimlessly  ; 
I  believe  in  nothing ;  everything  seems  to  me  sense- 
less or  ridiculous.  It  is  the  malady  of  the  age.  Your 
dreams  are  worth  more  than  the  reality." 


EPILOGUE. 


469 


"  They  are  not  dreams.  For  me  it  is  the  living 
reality.  Your  materialism  is  what  is  false.  You  will 
soon  return  to  Poland ;  there  is  much  to  do  there. 
Do  your  duty  there,  and  life  will  have  a  new  meaning 
for  you." 

Henri  laughed  ironically  and  said  :  — 

"  In  the  meanwhile  I  have  another  work  on  hand. 
I  am  going  to  attach  myself  to  Muse.  I  shall  follow 
her  everywhere.  She  will  see  continuously  my  mock- 
ing face.  I  will  be  the  skeleton  at  the  feast,  and  I 
will  enjoy  this  revenge  to  satiety.  Every  one  to  his 
taste  !  I  really  believe  that  Satan  cradled  me,  and 
that  this  nurse  has  injected  into  my  blood  some  of  his 
own  character." 

He  gave  an  infernal  laugh,  took  his  hat,  and  left 
them,  saying :  — 

"  I  will  join  Muse  at  the  theatre." 


THE   END. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBKAKY, 
BERKELEY 


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